Confused AI Textbooks, Guidelines Changed from 'Mandatory' to 'Voluntary' Selection

AI Textbook Guidelines Changed from 'Mandatory' to 'Voluntary' in Official Document
Law Also Violated... Orders Must Be Placed Four Months Before Semester
Ministry of Education Says Process Is Legal Due to Exception Clause
National Assembly Education Committee: "Will Examine Legal Violations"
Bill to Cut AI Textbook Budget to Be Discussed Today

It has been revealed that the AI digital textbook guidelines to be introduced from the first semester of this year have changed from ‘mandatory’ selection to ‘voluntary’ selection.

According to a Ministry of Education official document confirmed by Asia Economy on the 6th, it states that "in 2025, schools that wish to use AI textbooks for certain grades and subjects will select them voluntarily." This document was sent by the Ministry of Education to metropolitan and provincial offices of education nationwide on January 31.

Previously, in a document sent after finalizing 76 types of AI textbooks to be introduced this year on November 29 last year, the Ministry of Education stated that "for 2025, the subjects adopting AI digital textbooks must mandatorily select one type each of printed textbooks and AI textbooks." Within two months, the guideline changed from ‘mandatory’ to ‘voluntary.’

A official letter sent by the Ministry of Education to the metropolitan and provincial offices of education nationwide on January 31.

This change had been somewhat anticipated. As opposition parties repeatedly proposed legal amendments and the government exercised veto power, the status of AI textbooks shifted from ‘textbook → teaching material → textbook.’ In response, Education Minister Lee Ju-ho stated at the end of last year, "In 2025, schools will be allowed to decide autonomously whether to use AI textbooks." Following the change in the AI textbook selection manual, schools that selected AI textbooks under the previous mandatory guideline can, in principle, reconsider whether to maintain their selection. However, in such cases, the school operation committee must review the matter again.

The problem is that whether the school reopens the school operation committee or newly selects and orders AI textbooks, the deadline given to schools is only about three weeks. Confusion in frontline schools is inevitable.

Furthermore, according to Article 30 of the Presidential Decree on Textbooks, "The head of the school must order textbooks to be used each semester at least four months before the semester begins." Although the law clearly states that to use textbooks for the new semester, the school principal must select and order from the publisher four months in advance (by October 31 of the previous year), schools intending to use AI textbooks are inevitably placed in a situation where they cannot comply with this.

However, the Ministry of Education maintains that this is not a violation of the law. The regulation includes a proviso stating, "However, in cases of special circumstances such as content revisions of textbooks, orders may be placed by the deadline separately determined by the Minister of Education." A Ministry of Education official said, "We completed the AI textbook review on November 29 last year and sent the manual to each school," adding, "Also, the recent official document guided schools to select textbooks before the semester starts."

Kim Young-ho, Chairman of the National Assembly Education Committee, is striking the gavel at the Education Committee plenary meeting held at the National Assembly on the 5th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

Meanwhile, the National Assembly’s Education Committee’s bill subcommittee is scheduled to discuss a bill to cut the budget related to AI textbooks on the same day. The bill includes restoring the special grant rate under the Local Education Finance Grant Act, which had been raised from 3.0% to 3.8% under the name of digital-based educational innovation, back to its original level. The 0.8 percentage point increase was used last year for teacher training on AI textbooks. The controversy surrounding AI textbooks is expected to continue amid political tug-of-war.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.