South Korea: government threatens to take control over history textbooks used in schools
Korean teacher unionists are facing disciplinary measures for requesting the withdrawal of a proposed government measure to take full government control over the contents of history textbooks.
Education International (EI) supported its affiliate, the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU), in expressing concern about the Korean government’s plan to limit the number of secondary school history textbooks to a single approved volume and place its development solely under state control by 2017.
The EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen warned Korean President Park Geun-hye that giving the government full control over history textbooks is a setback for human rights and freedom of expression. . ‘It would also constitute an infringement of the right of teachers to academic freedom and autonomy, as guaranteed by the Korean Constitution as well as by international standards.’, he added in a letter sent to the Park.
Van Leeuwen underlined the fact that education policies relating to history teaching which promote nationalist political agendas and/or monopolistic views fail to acknowledge cultural diversity and the multiplicity of historical narratives, among and within communities. "Such policies are at odds with the right to education, the right of all people to have access to their own cultural heritage, the right to freedom of opinion and expression and the right to information," he adds.
According to KTU, the government has threatened to take disciplinary measures against teachers who sign a petition launched by the teacher union requesting the withdrawal of the planned measure.
Education International urged the Korean government to reverse its decision on state-controlled history textbooks and to respect the academic freedom and professional autonomy of teachers in all circumstances, and specifically their right to freely choose their teaching methods and materials.
Korean government’s move on this sensitive matter has been widely criticised, both within Korea and in the international community.
