Declining literacy prompts South Korea to designate 'reading intensive years' for students

South Korea's Ministry of Education is launching a new initiative to combat declining literacy rates among students by designating specific grade levels as 'reading education intensive years.' The move aims to systematically enhance reading skills, recognizing the challenges posed by the AI era and the prevalence of short-form content.

The designated grades are 3rd and 4th graders in elementary school, 7th graders in middle school, and 10th graders in high school. These periods are considered critical junctures where students transition from learning to read to reading to learn, or face increased academic demands. The ministry highlighted concerns about students' ability to distinguish fact from opinion, citing a 2022 PISA score where only 25.6% of Korean students could do so, compared to the OECD average of 47.4%.

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The Ministry of Education announced on the 2nd that it would designate 3rd-4th graders in elementary school, 1st graders in middle school, and 1st graders in high school as 'reading education intensive years.'

The ministry plans to develop and distribute customized reading programs starting next year. For middle schoolers, reading will be closely linked to career exploration and free semester activities. Support for student clubs focused on reading, discussion, and writing will expand, beginning with 500 middle schools in 2025 and reaching all middle schools by 2030. High school students will receive online reading mentorships linked to their career paths, with special programs for those in depopulated areas.

Furthermore, the ministry will strengthen the connection between classroom instruction and reading. By 2030, 1,000 reading-linked teaching and learning models will be developed and made available on the '독서로' (Dokseoro) platform. 'Class-centered reading education leading schools' will also be designated annually, requiring at least 16 hours of reading-based instruction. Efforts to foster a 'reading school culture,' such as a '10-minute daily reading together' campaign, will be expanded to all schools by 2030. The ministry also aims to ensure stable budget allocation for reading education at the school level.

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There are signs of declining literacy among students, and a systematic response to overall reading ability is necessary.