100th Anniversary of Hunmaengjeongeum's Promulgation... South Korea Certifies Its First 20 Braille Teachers

First Level 2 Certifications Awarded Under Revised Braille Act

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the National Institute of Korean Language announced on November 4 that 20 people had become the first in South Korea to earn Level 2 Braille teacher certification, marking Hangeul Braille Day.

The Braille teacher certification system was introduced under the Braille Act, revised and implemented last year, to enhance expertise in Braille education and provide quality education to people with visual impairments. The first Braille teachers were certified in a particularly significant year: the 100th anniversary of the promulgation of Hunmaengjeongeum and the 10th anniversary of the enactment of the Braille Act in 2016.

To earn Level 2 Braille teacher certification, applicants must have at least 300 hours of experience teaching Braille, hold at least a Level 3 Braille transcriber and proofreader certification, and pass at least the basic level of the Braille proficiency test. They must also complete a Braille teacher training program and be deemed qualified. Level 1 certification can be obtained after earning Level 2 certification and accumulating at least 300 hours of Braille teaching experience, with a maximum of 120 hours counted per year.

The newly certified teachers already had experience teaching Braille or held Braille transcriber and proofreader certifications. They further developed their expertise by completing at least 120 additional hours in the Braille teacher training program, which was offered for the first time this year.

Kim Yunmi, director of the Songam Braille Library, who received the first Braille teacher certificate, said, "I am very happy to become the first Braille teacher in this meaningful year, the 100th anniversary of the promulgation of Hangeul Braille. I will continue to research educational materials and teaching methods and do my best to help more people with visual impairments enjoy learning through Braille without giving up."

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the National Institute of Korean Language plan to continue training and supporting Braille teachers, creating an environment where all people with visual impairments who need Braille education can receive quality instruction without being left out.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.