▲ Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the National Institute of Korean Language announced on November 4, marking Hangul Braille Day, that South Korea has produced its first 20 certified Grade-2 Braille instructors who possess both professional braille proficiency and teaching capabilities.
The certification of these braille instructors is considered a core achievement of the system aimed at securing the professionalism of braille education and providing high-quality braille instruction to the visually impaired, following the revised Braille Act implemented last year.
The significance is further heightened as the first braille instructors were born on the 100th anniversary of Hangul Braille Day and a decade after the enactment of the Braille Act in 2016.
Hangul braille, known as "Hunmangeunghae" (Hunmaengjeongeum), was created on November 4, 1926, during the Japanese colonial period, by Songam Park Doo-seong (1888–1963) through research with his visually impaired students, and marks its 100th anniversary of promulgation this year.
The Grade-2 Braille Instructor certification is granted to individuals who meet requirements such as having at least 300 hours of braille teaching experience, holding a Grade-3 or higher Braille Transcriber and Proofreader qualification, and passing a beginner or higher level Braille Proficiency Test, as well as completing an approved braille instructor training course.
Grade-1 certification can be obtained after acquiring a Grade-2 certificate and accumulating an additional 300 hours or more of braille teaching experience (up to 120 hours recognized per year).
The newly certified instructors are individuals who already had prior experience in braille education or held braille transcriber and proofreader licenses. They gained professional expertise as braille instructors by completing over 120 hours of additional training in the newly implemented braille instructor training course this year.
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