Announcement of "Reading, Discussion, and Humanities Education 2030"
Superintendent Jeong: "I Hope Korea Becomes a Reading Nation"
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has unveiled its vision for "Reading Seoul." Jeong Geunsik, Superintendent of Education, stated, "The National Assembly, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, and schools will share a common vision and establish a pan-societal cooperation system."
The proclamation ceremony, held on the morning of December 18 at Gwangseong Middle School in Mapo-gu, Seoul, was organized to share a common vision among the National Assembly, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, and schools regarding the growing importance of reading education in the era of artificial intelligence (AI).
Jeong Geunsik, Superintendent of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, attended the vision proclamation ceremony of "Reading Schools, Reading Villages, Reading Seoul" held at Gwangseong Middle School on the 18th. Photo by Yonhap News
At the event, Superintendent Jeong emphasized, "In the AI era, an overwhelming amount of information and data is produced, but inevitably, false and distorted information is mixed in. It is more important than ever to cultivate literacy and digital literacy by fostering the ability to independently verify the sources and accuracy of information and to think deeply."
To this end, the office also announced the "Reading, Discussion, and Humanities Education 2030" initiative. This initiative aims to proactively address declining literacy skills among students due to excessive digital dependence and to ensure that students can apply core academic concepts in real life. The plan focuses on operating reading-focused schools (elementary and middle schools) and humanities practice schools (high schools), fostering a culture of reading in schools, and building a community-based reading ecosystem. Through these efforts, the office plans to establish a "reading culture" that expands from schools to local communities and ultimately to all of Seoul.
Superintendent Jeong added, "While the initial focus is on Seoul, I hope that this network will eventually expand nationwide. I truly wish for Korea to become a 'reading nation' in every sense of the word."
On this day at Gwangseong Middle School, he also observed a Korean language class that combined reading and meditation, as well as a class that integrated reading with science. Kim Youngho, Chair of the National Assembly's Education Committee and a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, also attended and observed the classes, and together with Superintendent Jeong, read the joint declaration aloud.
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