[사건의내막 / 박연파 기자] = 교육부가 지난 1년 동안 AI 미래인재 양성, 지역교육 혁신, 국가책임 돌봄 확대, 기초학력·교권 보호 강화 등을 추진하며 국민이 체감하는 교육개혁 기반 마련에 나섰다.
교육부는 지난 20일 국민주권 정부 1년 동안의 교육 분야 성과와 향후 추진계획을 발표했다고 22일 밝혔다.
교육부는 '국가가 책임지는 기본교육, 국민이 체감하는 교육강국'을 비전으로 ▲AI 시대 교육혁신 ▲지역과 교육의 동반 성장 ▲국가책임 교육·돌봄 강화 ▲학교공동체 회복 ▲민주시민·역사교육 강화 ▲K-교육 글로벌 확산 등 6대 분야 정책을 추진해 왔다.
국민주권 정부 1년 동안에는 중점 추진 과제 실행 기반을 조성했으며, 올해 하반기부터는 정책 성과가 교육 현장에 안착할 수 있도록 속도감 있게 정책을 추진할 계획이다.
◆ AI 시대 미래인재 양성…교사 역량·교육 인프라도 강화
교육부는 AI 대전환 시대를 맞아 초·중등, 대학, 평생교육 전반에 걸친 미래인재 양성 체계를 구축했다.
초·중등 분야에서는 AI 중점학교와 AI·디지털 활용 연구·선도학교를 3307교까지 확대해 전체 초·중·고의 27.7%가 AI 교육에 참여하도록 했다.
디지털 새싹 사업으로 학생 31만 7000명에게 방과후 AI 체험교육을 제공했고, AI·융합교육(STEAM) 동아리도 332팀에서 1542팀으로 확대했다.
영재학교·과학고 대상 AI·SW 특화 교육 지원은 기존 14교에서 전체 27교로 확대했으며, 마이스터고 AI 활용 교육과정 운영학교 7교도 지원하고 있다.
학생들의 질문하는 힘과 비판적 사고력을 키우기 위해 '질문하는 학교' 선도학교 308교를 선정하고, 교과 독서 프로그램 1000개 개발과 책 읽는 학교문화 조성 사업도 추진하고 있다.
교사의 AI 활용 역량 강화도 추진 중이다.
교육부는 교사가 AI를 수업에 활용해 학생 맞춤형 교육을 실현할 수 있도록 올해 5월부터 교원 3000명을 대상으로 수준별 AI 교육 연수를 운영하고 있으며, AI 활용 선도교사 7000명 양성도 추진하고 있다.
또 지역별 AI 교육지원센터 6개소 신축 지원과 교육 특화 AI 개발(ISP 추진)도 병행해 학교 현장의 AI 교육 기반을 강화하고 있다.
대학 분야에서는 인공지능 인재의 안정적 교육·연구 기반 마련을 위해 학·석·박 통합과정(패스트트랙)을 도입해 대학 입학 이후 5.5년 만에 박사학위를 취득할 수 있는 제도적 기반을 준비했다.
이공계 우수인재 400명을 조기 발굴해 학사부터 박사후연구원까지 전 주기 성장을 지원하고, BK21 AI·AI융합 교육연구단을 7개 추가 선정하고, AI·AX 부트캠프 50교 지원을 통해 4200명의 AI 실무 인재를 양성하고 있다.
해외 석·박사급 우수 인재 유치를 위한 제도 개선도 추진했다.
교육부는 법무부와 협업해 두뇌한국(BK)21 대학원혁신지원교 27개교 유학생을 대상으로 비자 취득과 영주·귀화 요건을 완화하는 'K-STAR 비자 트랙'을 지난해 12월 도입했다.
또 교육공무원법 개정을 통해 해외 우수 교원이 국내 대학에 임용될 경우 외국 대학에 겸직할 수 있는 특례를 마련해 글로벌 연구 인재 유치 기반도 강화했다.
성인 학습자를 위해서는 K-MOOC, 산업맞춤 단기직무능력과정(매치업), 재직자 AI·디지털 집중과정 등 260개 강좌를 운영해 10만 명의 AI 교육을 지원했다.
고령층 AI·디지털 문해교육도 실시해 약 3만 명을 지원했다.
교육부는 앞으로 생성형 AI 활용 가이드라인 보급과 AI 윤리교육 콘텐츠 개발, AI 거점대학 3교 선정 등을 추진할 계획이다.
◆ 지역교육 혁신 추진…거점국립대·지역인재 육성 강화
교육부는 지역과 교육의 동반 성장을 위해 지역 우수학교 확대와 지역대학 지원체계 개편을 추진했다.
자율형 공립고는 25교를 추가 지정·운영하고 협약형 특성화고 10교를 추가 선정했다. 협약형 특성화고는 지역 기업 맞춤형 교육과정을 운영해 학생들의 지역 산업체 취업을 지원한다.
또한 기존 RISE 체계를 '지역성장 인재양성체계(앵커)'로 재구조화해 산학협력 기반 지역성장을 지원하고 있다.
지난 한 해 동안 약 2만 9000여 개 기업과 130만 명이 참여해 공동연구, 기술이전, 현장실습, 취·창업 연계 프로그램 등을 운영했다.
또 국토 대전환 프로젝트 핵심 과제인 '서울대 10개 만들기'를 본격 추진해 올해 3개 거점국립대를 선정하고, 브랜드 단과대학과 AI 거점대학 사업을 패키지로 집중 지원한다.
거점국립대에는 유수기업 채용조건형 계약학과도 수도권 수준으로 확대할 계획이다.
이 밖에 희망사다리 장학금Ⅱ 유형의 비수도권 비중도 기존 25% 수준에서 40%까지 확대해 지역대학 학생 지원을 강화했다.
이 같은 정책 추진에 따라 지역대학 입학지원 경쟁률은 2025학년도 5.86대 1에서 2026학년도 6.54대 1로 상승했다.
교육부는 앞으로 교육혁신선도지역특별법 제정과 교육혁신선도지역 지정 등을 통해 지역 맞춤형 교육혁신 모델을 확산할 계획이다.
◆ 4~5세 무상교육 확대…온동네 초등돌봄 구축
교육부는 국가책임 교육·돌봄 강화를 위해 단계적 유아 무상교육·보육 지원을 확대하고, 온동네 초등돌봄·교육 체제를 구축중이다.
먼저 2025년 5세를 시작으로 올해는 4~5세까지 무상교육·보육 지원을 확대해 약 50만 3000명을 지원하고 있다.
그 결과 유치원 납입금은 41.4%, 어린이집 이용료는 18.3% 감소했다.
지난해 상반기 대비 하반기 유치원·어린이집 이용 아동 수도 약 6만 5000명 증가했다.
맞벌이 가정의 돌봄 부담 완화를 위해 하루 9시간 이상 운영 유치원과 야간·휴일·24시간 돌봄 어린이집, 거점형·연계형 돌봄기관도 확대했다.
시니어 돌봄사 배치와 아침 돌봄 교사 인건비 지원으로 아침 돌봄 이용 영유아 수도 지난해보다 29% 증가했다.
초등 단계에서는 기존 늘봄학교 정책을 '온동네 초등돌봄·교육' 체제로 발전시켰다.
현재 208개 기초지자체가 지역 초등돌봄·교육협의체를 구성해 지역 여건에 맞는 돌봄·교육을 운영하고 있다.
초등학교 3학년에게는 연 50만 원의 방과후 프로그램 이용권을 제공했으며, 2027년에는 초등학교 4학년까지 지원을 확대할 계획이다.
국가 돌봄·교육 지원을 받는 초등학생은 지난해보다 10만 8000명 증가했다.
기초학력 보장과 학생 마음건강 지원, 교권 보호 강화도 추진했다.
국가기초학력지원포털을 개통해 기초학력 진단검사와 보정학습자료, 심리검사 서비스를 통합 제공하고 있다.
기초학력 전문교원 639명을 초등학교에 집중 배치했고, 기초학력 협력강사도 지난해 4481교에서 올해 6000교까지 확대 배치했다.
초·중·고 학생 6만 명을 대상으로 방과후·방학 중 1대1 멘토링도 새롭게 운영한다.
특수교육 여건 개선을 위해서는 특수학교 3교를 개교하고 특수학급 1018학급을 신·증설했으며, 장애 대학생 지원 선도대학 10교 운영과 장애인 평생교육법 제정도 추진했다.
◆ 학생 마음건강·교권 보호 강화…교육현장 회복 추진
학교공동체 회복 정책도 추진했다.
학생 마음건강 지원을 위해서는 마음 EASY 검사 활성화와 전문상담교사 확충, 학생 마음 바우처 확대 등을 추진했다.
또 초중등교육법 시행령 개정으로 위기학생 긴급지원제도를 법제화했다.
교원의 교육활동 보호를 위해서는 학교민원 대응 및 교육활동 보호 강화 방안을 마련했다.
중대한 교육활동 침해에 대한 학교장의 긴급조치 근거를 마련하고, 피해 교원의 마음돌봄휴가는 기존 5일에서 최대 10일까지 확대했다.
학교민원대응팀도 법제화하고, 지역 교육활동보호센터는 55개에서 83개로 확대했다.
교육 정상화를 위해서는 ▲학원 불공정 행위 제재 강화 ▲교복가격 안정화 ▲영유아 사교육 대응 강화 등 7개 정상화 과제를 추진하고 있다.
특히 '4세·7세 고시'로 불리는 레벨테스트를 금지하는 학원법 개정을 추진하는 등 영유아 사교육 대응 기반을 강화했다.
◆ 헌법교육 확대…탐구·체험 중심 역사교육 추진
학생들의 시민 역량 함양을 위한 민주시민교육과 역사교육 강화도 추진했다.
'2026년 민주시민교육 추진계획'을 수립하고, 초·중·고 1931개 학급에서 헌법 특강을 실시했다.
민주시민교육 선도학교는 357교를 선정했으며, 통일부와 협업해 전국 500개 학교 대상 찾아가는 학교 통일교육도 추진 중이다.
역사교육 분야에서는 역사교육 활성화 방안을 발표하고, 역사 선도교사단과 역사교사 학습공동체 운영 등을 통해 탐구·체험 중심 역사교육을 지원하고 있다.
기후·환경교육 분야에서는 햇빛이음학교 시범학교 550교를 선정해 태양광 설비 설치를 추진하고 있다. 2030년까지 초·중등학교에 태양광 설비를 단계적으로 확대 설치할 방침이다.
◆ 국립대 해외 진출·한국어교육 확대…K-교육 확산
올해 처음으로 경북대와 충남대 등 국립대 2곳이 해외 대학과 업무협약(MOA)을 체결하고 각각 베트남과 우즈베키스탄 진출을 추진한다.
또 콜롬비아·이집트·포르투갈·바레인 등 4개국에 한국어반을 신규 개설하고, 2026~2027년 15개국에서 현지인 한국어교원 700여 명을 양성할 계획이다.
이주배경학생 대상 한국어학급도 557학급에서 629학급으로 확대하고, AI 기반 한국어 학습용 디지털 기기 1000대를 보급했다.
최교진 교육부 장관은 "국민주권 정부 1년 동안 교육부는 AI 시대 도래, 지역 균형발전, 헌법가치 실현 등 우리 사회 변화와 과제에 교육이 선제적으로 대응할 수 있는 기반을 조성하기 위해 노력했다"며 "국민주권 정부 2년 차에는 우리 교육의 구조적 문제를 개선하고, 지역 중심 교육 전환과 인재 중심 연구 생태계 조성을 차질 없이 추진하겠다"고 밝혔다.
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*아래는 위 기사를'구글 번역'으로 번역한 영문 기사의[전문]입니다. '구글번역'은 이해도 높이기를 위해 노력하고 있습니다. 영문 번역에 오류가 있을 수 있음을 전제로 합니다.<*The following is [the full text] of the English article translated by 'Google Translate'. 'Google Translate' is working hard to improve understanding. It is assumed that there may be errors in the English translation.>
Expansion of 'State-Responsible Education,' Including AI Talent Development and Enhanced Care Services
Ministry of Education Announces 'Education Sector Achievements and Implementation Plans for the First Year of the People's Sovereignty Government'
Expansion of AI-Focused Schools to 3,307... Establishment of Teacher Training and AI Education Support Centers
Expansion of Free Education for 4-5 Year Olds and Promotion of 'On-Neighborhood Care'... Strengthening Support for Basic Academic Skills
[Inside Story / Reporter Park Yeon-pa] = Over the past year, the Ministry of Education has set out to lay the foundation for education reform that the public can feel by promoting the cultivation of future AI talent, innovation in regional education, the expansion of state-responsible care services, and the strengthening of basic academic skills and the protection of teachers' rights.
The Ministry of Education announced on the 22nd that it had released the achievements in the education sector and future implementation plans for the first year of the People's Sovereignty Government on the 20th.
Under the vision of "Basic Education for which the State takes responsibility, and an Educational Powerhouse that the People Can Experience," the Ministry of Education has been pursuing policies in six major areas: educational innovation in the AI era, co-growth of regions and education, strengthening state-responsible education and childcare, restoration of school communities, reinforcement of democratic citizenship and history education, and global expansion of K-Education.
During the first year of the "Government of People's Sovereignty," the foundation for implementing key priority tasks was established. Starting in the second half of this year, the Ministry plans to push forward with policies at a rapid pace to ensure that policy achievements take root in the educational field.
◆ Fostering Future Talent in the AI Era… Strengthening Teacher Competencies and Educational Infrastructure
In response to the era of the great AI transformation, the Ministry of Education has established a system for fostering future talent across elementary, secondary, university, and lifelong education.
In the elementary and secondary sectors, the number of AI-focused schools and research/leading schools utilizing AI and digital technology has been expanded to 3,307, ensuring that 27.7% of all elementary, middle, and high schools participate in AI education. Through the Digital Seedling Project, after-school AI experiential education was provided to 317,000 students, and the number of AI and STEAM clubs was expanded from 332 to 1,542.
Support for specialized AI and software education targeting gifted schools and science high schools was expanded from the existing 14 schools to a total of 27, and support is also being provided to 7 Meister high schools operating AI-based curricula.
To foster students' ability to ask questions and critical thinking skills, 308 "Questioning Schools" have been selected as leading schools. Additionally, initiatives to develop 1,000 subject-specific reading programs and foster a school culture of reading are being promoted.
Efforts to strengthen teachers' AI utilization capabilities are also underway.
To enable teachers to utilize AI in their classes and realize personalized education for students, the Ministry of Education has been conducting level-based AI training for 3,000 teachers since May of this year and is also working to train 7,000 leading teachers in AI utilization. In addition, the foundation for AI education in schools is being strengthened by supporting the construction of six regional AI education support centers and simultaneously promoting the development of education-specialized AI (ISP implementation).
In the university sector, to establish a stable foundation for the education and research of AI talent, an integrated bachelor's, master's, and doctoral program (Fast Track) was introduced, preparing an institutional framework that allows students to obtain a doctoral degree within 5.5 years of university admission.
We are fostering 4,200 working-level AI professionals by identifying 400 outstanding talents in science and engineering early on and supporting their full-cycle growth from undergraduate studies to postdoctoral research. Furthermore, we have selected seven additional BK21 AI/AI Convergence Education Research Groups and supported 50 AI/AX bootcamps.
We have also pursued institutional improvements to attract outstanding overseas master's and doctoral-level talent. In collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Education introduced the "K-STAR Visa Track" last December to ease visa acquisition and permanent residency/naturalization requirements for international students at 27 Brain Korea (BK) 21 Graduate School Innovation Support Universities.
Furthermore, through an amendment to the Public Education Officials Act, the Ministry established a special provision allowing outstanding overseas faculty members appointed to domestic universities to hold concurrent positions at foreign universities, thereby strengthening the foundation for attracting global research talent.
For adult learners, the Ministry supported AI education for 100,000 people by operating 260 courses, including K-MOOCs, industry-tailored short-term job competency courses (Match-up), and intensive AI and digital courses for working professionals.
AI and digital literacy education for the elderly was also conducted, supporting approximately 30,000 individuals.
Moving forward, the Ministry plans to promote the dissemination of guidelines for utilizing generative AI, the development of AI ethics education content, and the selection of three AI hub universities.
◆ Promoting Regional Education Innovation… Strengthening the Development of Flagship National Universities and Regional Talent
The Ministry of Education has promoted the expansion of excellent regional schools and the reorganization of the support system for regional universities to foster the co-growth of regions and education.
Twenty-five additional autonomous public high schools were designated and are in operation, while ten additional specialized high schools were selected through agreements. These specialized high schools operate curricula tailored to local businesses to support students' employment in local industries.
Furthermore, the existing RISE system has been restructured into a "Regional Growth Talent Development System (Anchor)" to support regional growth based on industry-academia collaboration.
Over the past year, approximately 29,000 companies and 1.3 million individuals participated in joint research, technology transfer, field training, and employment/entrepreneurship linkage programs.
In addition, the "Creating 10 Seoul National Universities" initiative, a core task of the National Land Transformation Project, is being fully implemented. This year, three flagship national universities will be selected, and intensive support will be provided as a package for Brand Colleges and AI Hub University projects. The plan is to expand contract departments at flagship national universities that guarantee employment with leading companies to the level of the Seoul metropolitan area.
In addition, support for students at regional universities has been strengthened by increasing the proportion of non-metropolitan areas under the Hope Ladder Scholarship Type II from the existing 25% level to 40%.
Following the implementation of these policies, the competition rate for admission to regional universities rose from 5.86:1 in the 2025 academic year to 6.54:1 in the 2026 academic year.
The Ministry of Education plans to spread region-specific educational innovation models through the enactment of the Special Act on Educational Innovation Leading Regions and the designation of such regions.
◆ Expansion of Free Education for 4-5 Year Olds… Establishment of a "Whole Neighborhood" Elementary Care System
To strengthen state-responsible education and care, the Ministry of Education is expanding phased support for free early childhood education and childcare, and is currently establishing a "Whole Neighborhood" elementary care and education system. First, starting with age 5 in 2025, free education and childcare support has been expanded to include children aged 4 to 5 this year, currently supporting approximately 503,000 children.
As a result, kindergarten tuition fees decreased by 41.4%, and daycare center fees decreased by 18.3%.
The number of children using kindergartens and daycare centers in the second half of last year increased by approximately 65,000 compared to the first half.
To alleviate the childcare burden on dual-income families, the number of kindergartens operating for more than 9 hours a day, daycare centers providing night, holiday, and 24-hour care, and hub-type and linked care institutions has been expanded.
With the placement of senior caregivers and support for morning care teachers' salaries, the number of infants and toddlers utilizing morning care services increased by 29% compared to last year.
At the elementary level, the existing Neulbom School policy has been developed into a "Whole Neighborhood Elementary Care and Education" system. Currently, 208 basic local governments have formed regional elementary school care and education councils to operate care and education programs tailored to local conditions.
After-school program vouchers worth 500,000 won per year were provided to third-grade elementary students, and there are plans to expand support to fourth-grade students by 2027.
The number of elementary students receiving state care and education support increased by 108,000 compared to last year.
Efforts were also made to guarantee basic academic skills, support students' mental health, and strengthen the protection of teachers' rights.
The National Basic Academic Skills Support Portal was launched to provide integrated services including basic academic skills diagnostic tests, remedial learning materials, and psychological testing.
639 specialized teachers for basic academic skills were concentrated in elementary schools, and the number of cooperative instructors was expanded from 4,481 schools last year to 6,000 schools this year.
A new one-on-one mentoring program is also being implemented for 60,000 elementary, middle, and high school students during after-school hours and school vacations. To improve conditions for special education, three special schools were opened and 1,018 special education classes were newly established or expanded. Additionally, the operation of 10 leading universities supporting university students with disabilities and the enactment of the Act on Lifelong Education for Persons with Disabilities were pursued.
◆ Strengthening Student Mental Health and Teacher Rights Protection… Promoting the Recovery of the Educational Field
Policies to restore the school community were also implemented.
To support student mental health, measures were taken to revitalize the "Mind EASY" test, increase the number of professional counselors, and expand the Student Mental Health Voucher program.
Furthermore, the Emergency Support System for Students in Crisis was legalized through the amendment of the Enforcement Decree of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
To protect teachers' educational activities, measures were devised to strengthen responses to school complaints and the protection of educational activities.
Legal grounds were established for school principals to take emergency measures regarding serious infringements on educational activities, and mental health care leave for affected teachers was extended from the existing 5 days to a maximum of 10 days.
School Complaint Response Teams were also legalized, and the number of Regional Educational Activity Protection Centers was expanded from 55 to 83.
To normalize education, seven normalization tasks are being pursued, including strengthening sanctions against unfair practices by private academies, stabilizing school uniform prices, and reinforcing responses to private education for infants and toddlers.
In particular, the foundation for responding to private education for infants and toddlers has been strengthened, such as by pushing for an amendment to the Private Academy Act to ban level tests, often referred to as the "4-year-old and 7-year-old exams."
◆ Expansion of Constitutional Education… Promotion of Inquiry and Experience-Based History Education
Strengthening democratic citizenship education and history education has also been pursued to cultivate students' civic competencies.
The "2026 Democratic Citizenship Education Promotion Plan" was established, and special lectures on the Constitution were conducted in 1,931 classes across elementary, middle, and high schools.
357 schools were selected as leading schools for democratic citizenship education, and "Visiting School Unification Education" is being implemented for 500 schools nationwide in collaboration with the Ministry of Unification.
In the field of history education, measures to revitalize history education were announced, and support for inquiry and experience-based history education is being provided through initiatives such as the operation of History Leading Teacher Corps and History Teacher Learning Communities.
In the field of climate and environmental education, 550 pilot schools for the "Sunshine Link School" program have been selected to promote the installation of solar power facilities. The plan is to gradually expand the installation of solar power facilities in elementary and middle schools by 2030.
◆ Expansion of National Universities' Overseas Expansion and Korean Language Education… Spreading K-Education
For the first time this year, two national universities, Kyungpook National University and Chungnam National University, signed Memorandums of Agreement (MOA) with overseas universities and are pursuing expansion into Vietnam and Uzbekistan, respectively.
In addition, new Korean language classes have been established in four countries, including Colombia, Egypt, Portugal, and Bahrain, and there are plans to train approximately 700 local Korean language teachers in 15 countries between 2026 and 2027.
Minister of Education Choi Kyo-jin stated, "During the first year of the People's Sovereignty Government, the Ministry of Education has strived to create a foundation for education to proactively respond to changes and challenges in our society, such as the advent of the AI era, balanced regional development, and the realization of constitutional values." He added, "In the second year of the People's Sovereignty Government, we will improve the structural problems of our education and proceed without setbacks with the transition to region-centered education and the creation of a talent-centered research ecosystem."
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