Ministry of Education Announces Implementation of Textbook Review for the 2022 Revised Curriculum

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] The Ministry of Education announced on the 27th that the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation and the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity will publicize matters related to the review and approval of textbooks (textbooks + teacher's guides, hereinafter referred to as approved textbooks) according to the 2022 revised curriculum.

This announcement also provides the 'approval criteria' and 'compilation guidelines,' which serve as the direction and standards for the development of approved textbooks.

In particular, for the history subject, while considering the simplification intent of the 2022 revised curriculum, a minimum standard for developing quality textbooks was established by additionally reflecting 'learning elements' so that major historical events such as the Jeju 4·3 Incident, the May 18 Democratic Uprising, and the Japanese military 'comfort women' can be described in the textbooks.

Going forward, publishers and authors will develop approved textbooks according to the compilation guidelines, and the final approved textbooks that pass the review by the Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation and the Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity will be supplied to schools after exhibition and selection procedures at each school.

Meanwhile, the 2024 approval review will target approved textbooks for 3rd and 4th grades of elementary school, 1st grade of middle school, and common and elective subjects of high school, which will be applied from March 2025. The 2025 approval review will target approved textbooks for 5th and 6th grades of elementary school and 2nd grade of middle school (applied from March 2026), and the 2026 approval review will target approved textbooks for 3rd grade of middle school (applied from March 2027).