The South Korean government plans to enhance history education in schools by increasing the emphasis on modern history in middle school curricula and introducing new elective history courses in high schools.
The South Korean government is set to expand the focus on modern history in middle school history classes while introducing new elective history subjects in high schools. This initiative comes as the government responds to concerns about the influence of far-right ideologies and distorted historical narratives among youth. By strengthening historical education, authorities aim to cultivate critical thinking skills in students, ensuring they are equipped to engage with controversies surrounding historical interpretation.
As part of this plan, the Ministry of Education has announced an active approach to implement 'participatory history classes,' promoting discussions, debates, and project-based learning grounded in democratic values. The Ministry also plans to provide guidelines for schools by the end of the year, emphasizing collaboration with the National Education Commission to revise the history curriculum, ensuring it reflects officially recognized historical facts and values enshrined in the constitution.
Changes to history textbooks are anticipated, particularly regarding the proportion of modern history content in middle school classes, which currently stands at 20%, in contrast to the 80% dedicated to pre-modern history. The Ministry explains that a greater emphasis on modern history is essential at this educational stage, as the existing framework poses challenges to effective learning. Discussions about high school history textbook content have not progressed yet but are expected to be reviewed in conjunction with ongoing curriculum revisions, aiming for implementation by the 2030 academic year.
