NPA "Use as Educational Materials Instead of Textbooks"
Publishers "Entry Burden Increases"
Teacher Groups Also Launch 'Adoption Rejection' Campaign
Review Results Announced on 29th
With the announcement of the AI (Artificial Intelligence) digital textbook certification scheduled for the 29th, conflicts continue among various stakeholders such as textbook publishers and teacher organizations. While some voices call for a cautious introduction of digital textbooks, publishers argue that they must maintain their status as official textbooks.
The National Assembly's Education Committee plans to hold a bill review subcommittee on the 26th to present and discuss 45 bills, including partial amendments to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
Currently, the ruling party has proposed bills emphasizing the government's AI digital textbook policy aimed for introduction next year, while the opposition has submitted bills opposing it. The amendment bills, respectively introduced by Democratic Party lawmakers Go Min-jung and Moon Jung-bok, seek to define AI digital textbooks as "educational materials" rather than "textbooks" so that they can be introduced to schools after social discussions. Since educational materials are not mandatory textbooks that each school must adopt, the school principal would be able to seek deliberation from the school operation committee.
On the other hand, the amendment bill introduced by People Power Party lawmaker Seo Ji-young aims to include a definition of AI digital textbooks in the presidential decree "Regulations on Textbooks," thereby clarifying the legal basis for AI digital textbooks as official textbooks.
In response, companies that participated in the AI digital textbook publisher review and the Korea Textbook Association held a press conference at the National Assembly on the same day, expressing opposition to the bill proposed by the opposition. They argued that if AI digital textbooks are not recognized as official textbooks, publishers could suffer losses in textbook production and management.
They stated, "AI digital textbooks must maintain their status as official textbooks," adding, "If downgraded to educational materials and the choice is left to the discretion of the school principal, market acquisition becomes uncertain, making the risk of entering development too high, effectively making participation impossible." They also claimed that educational materials come with copyright usage restrictions, which could prevent the use of copyrighted works or impose excessive fees.
However, there are still opinions in the field calling for cautious introduction. The Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union announced on the 22nd, "We will launch a movement to reject the use and adoption of AI digital textbooks together with teachers nationwide," urging, "We cannot overlook the full-scale introduction of unverified AI digital textbooks." They pointed out issues such as overdependence on digital devices, the potential to cause digital divides, and budget waste.
Lee Ju-ho, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, appeared on CBS Radio's "Kim Hyun-jung's News Show" the day before and responded to these concerns by saying, "Since Korea is introducing these as textbooks, it means they will be adopted in all schools for the first time, and in that sense, it is significant because it will be evenly spread throughout public education." Regarding digital over-immersion, he countered, "Since it is a means of studying, it does not lead to passive immersion."
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education will announce the AI digital textbook certification results on the 29th. Subsequently, exhibition copies will be distributed to schools next month, followed by the textbook adoption process.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
