2022 Revised Curriculum Proposes Increasing the Proportion of 'Pre-Modern History' to the National Education Committee

1574 Cases Received During Administrative Notice Period
Goal to Finalize and Announce Curriculum by Year-End

Government Sejong Complex, Ministry of Education Exterior View

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The Ministry of Education will reflect demands that the proportion of pre-modern history in the 2022 revised curriculum Korean history subject is too low by adding related content and submitting it to the National Education Commission.

On the 6th, the Ministry of Education announced that it will submit the revision proposals for the 'Elementary and Secondary School Curriculum' and the 'Special Education Curriculum' to the National Education Commission. After review and resolution by the commission, the 2022 revised curriculum will be finalized and announced by the end of the year.

During the administrative notice period from the 9th to the 29th of last month, a total of 1,574 opinions were received, mainly concerning expressions related to gender and the description of terms related to liberal democracy.

The Ministry of Education prepared a review proposal to be submitted to the National Education Commission based on the received opinions and discussions by the Curriculum Deliberation Committee.

The Ministry of Education, reflecting demands mainly from history-related academic societies to expand the proportion of pre-modern history in the high school Korean history subject, developed three additional achievement standards for pre-modern history (Ancient, Goryeo, Joseon). The number of achievement standards increased from six in the administrative notice draft to nine.

Although many opinions for and against the term 'liberal democracy' were received, the Ministry decided to maintain the administrative notice draft that uses the terms 'liberal democracy,' 'democracy,' and 'liberal democratic basic order' together. The Ministry actively submitted opinions to include the term 'liberal democracy' in textbooks after it was initially omitted in the draft.

Reflecting concerns about expressions related to 'gender' during the administrative notice period, some content was revised. In the health subject, 'sexual and reproductive health and rights' was changed to 'sexual health and rights.' Before the administrative notice, it was written as 'sexual and reproductive health and rights,' but it was revised twice. In practical arts (technology and home economics), the unclear term 'holistic sexual being' was deleted.

Reflecting field opinions that the maximum secured time for school autonomous hours differs by grade level in elementary and secondary schools, the maximum secured time for school autonomous hours (68 hours) was deleted. Instead, it was decided to operate within the possible range by grade level for one week of class hours per semester.