South Korea’s ambitious plan to pioneer the nationwide adoption of artificial intelligence-based digital textbooks has hit a roadblock, as the Assembly passed an amended bill Thursday making the books supplementary.
According to the amendment, AI textbooks are categorized as "educational materials" and must either be copyrighted by the state or approved by the Minister of Education. But the decision on whether to use AI textbooks as supplementary material will be given to school principals rather than the education minister.
The Ministry of Education planned to introduce AI textbooks for English, mathematics and information classes in the 2025 school year for grades 3-4 in elementary school, as well as grade 1 in middle and high schools.
As the bill was passed, Education Minister Lee Ju-ho expressed concerns about potential confusion in schools and society. In a statement issued after the bill's passage, he proposed reconsideration and pledged to collaborate with local education offices to provide administrative and financial support for schools that wish to use AI textbooks.
“AI digital textbooks, when used as official textbooks, can bridge the gap between regions and schools, offering equal educational opportunities to all students,” Lee said.
He said he would request a reconsideration of the amendment once it is formally applied by the government. “As the minister responsible for implementing education policy, I will recommend that the amendment be reconsidered. The year 2025 marks a golden opportunity for schools to adapt to the new curriculum, and it is crucial we make the most of this moment to drive meaningful change,” he emphasized.
Despite the setback, Lee pledged to ensure that schools interested in using AI digital textbooks would receive the necessary support. “The Ministry of Education will work with local education offices to provide administrative and financial support, including teacher training, digital infrastructure upgrades and effectiveness analyses, so schools that wish to adopt AI digital textbooks can do so smoothly,” he said.
jychoi@heraldcorp.com
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