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Seoul. South Korean students will soon say goodbye to heavy school bags, with the Education Ministry announcing a 2.2 trillion won (S$2.4 billion) plan this week to digitalize all textbooks by 2015.

This means students may go to school with just a tablet computing device, such as the Apple iPad or Samsung Galaxy Tab.

Ministry officials said on Wednesday that students of all ages will be able to access their textbooks on smartphones, computers and smart televisions under the 'Smart Education' scheme.

The textbook plan will be implemented in primary schools by 2014, and expanded to secondary and high schools the following year, South Korean media reported.

In the transition period, both printed and digital texts will be used.

Citing the country's outstanding score in a recent survey on digital learning by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the ministry said it is the right time for a change in the education system, reported the JoongAng Daily newspaper.

'Korean students have ranked first in terms of digital literacy among developed nations according to the OECD-run Program for International Student Assessment,' an official from the Education Ministry was quoted as saying.

'That's why Korean students, who are already fully prepared for digital society, need a paradigm shift in education.'

The OECD report, released on Monday, showed that South Koreans aged between 15 and 19 learn the best from computers and the Internet compared to their counterparts in 16 OECD member countries.

The Paris-based organization comprises 34 of the most advanced countries.

The OECD suggested that educators should better integrate computers into curricula and classrooms and policy makers should invest more in training teachers to use computers for teaching.

The Korea Communications Commission had said that the number of smartphone users in the country will reach 20 million by the end of the year - that is just under half the total population. In Seoul, more than 80 per cent of residents will own a smart gadget by 2015, according to the city government.

The ministry plans to provide free tablet PCs for students from low-income families, Chosun Ilbo reported.

As part of the Smart Education project, the government will build a cloud computing network, which will allow students to access the digital textbooks and store their homework through an Internet connection. The Education Ministry also plans to hold nationwide academic tests online.

To facilitate the shift to digital, wireless Internet access points will be set up in all schools by 2015, the JoongAng Daily reported.

The Education Ministry said schools will begin to introduce more online classes from 2013, so that students who are unable to go to school because of weather conditions or health problems can continue having lessons.

The ministry added that digital textbooks will be cheaper than printed versions. It also expects the project to provide a boost to the IT sector.

However, some skeptics said that without any fundamental change in the current university admission policies, which have led to cut-throat competition among students and a booming private education, there will not be any meaningful improvement in the education system, the Korea Herald reported.





Reprinted courtesy of Straits Times Indonesia. To subscribe to Straits Times Indonesia and/or the Jakarta Globe call 021 2553 5055