• South Korea plans to introduce AI-powered digital textbooks into classrooms starting in 2025, with full implementation expected by 2028 across all subjects except music, art, physical education, and ethics.
  • Over 50,000 parents have signed a petition expressing concerns about the potential negative impact of increased digital device usage on children's brain development, concentration, and problem-solving abilities.

South Korea's plans to introduce AI-powered digital textbooks in classrooms are facing strong opposition from parents. According to a report, the government intends to roll out these tablets next year, with full implementation across all subjects except music, art, physical education, and ethics by 2028.

The digital textbooks will be tailored to students' individual learning speeds, with teachers using dashboards to monitor progress.

However, South Korea's this initiative has sparked concern among parents, leading to a petition signed by over 50,000 individuals urging the government to prioritize students' overall well-being over new technology.

The petition highlights growing issues from children's exposure to digital devices, with parents worried about the potential negative effects on brain development, concentration, and problem-solving abilities.

One parent, Lee Sun-youn, expressed her concerns:

"I am worried that too much usage of digital devices could negatively affect their brain development, concentration span, and ability to solve problems — they already use smartphones and tablets too much."

Despite these concerns, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Lee Ju-ho defended the initiative, stating that digital textbooks are crucial for transforming traditional, memorization-focused classrooms into environments where students take charge of their learning.

He also emphasized that the initiative is part of a broader government effort to enhance education through digital technology, a priority that has been in place since the 2022 curriculum revision.

The government plans to introduce digital textbooks gradually, beginning with third, fourth, and seventh graders in 2025, and expanding to other grades over the following years, ensuring a smooth transition alongside traditional paper textbooks.

Edited by Harshajit Sarmah