Teachers' unions are voicing strong opposition to the government's countermeasures for detecting smart glasses ahead of the 2027 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), scheduled for November 19.

According to the education community, the Ministry of Education recently distributed a guideline document titled "2027 CSAT Major Situation Response Scenario" to schools, which includes instructions on how to respond when encountering test-takers suspected of wearing AI-powered smart glasses.

Under the guidelines, proctors are required to ask students suspected of wearing smart glasses to take them off and place them on their desks, and to inform them that refusal to comply will be treated as cheating.

Proctors are also instructed to inspect and verify smart glasses based on key features, referencing previously distributed precautionary videos and booklets.

If judgment is difficult, proctors are advised to consult with other proctors or the test management headquarters.

Even if a proctor suspects a student of wearing smart glasses, they must verify it after the end of the given exam session.

In a commentary regarding these measures, the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU) criticized, "Passing the responsibility of identification, verification, and conflict resolution onto frontline proctors without providing them with specialized equipment or clear criteria to identify smart glasses is shifting an excessive burden onto them."

"Measures to prevent cheating involving new technologies must be devised and taken responsibility for by the state, and that responsibility should not be dumped onto the judgment of individual proctors," the union added.

The KTU pointed out that while it is difficult to visually distinguish smart glasses from regular glasses, the Ministry of Education's guidelines lack concrete measures on who will make the final determination.

Earlier, on October 15, the Secondary School Teachers' Union launched a nationwide signature campaign regarding the crackdown on smart glasses, calling for an improvement in the structure that heavily relies on individual secondary school teachers to shoulder the burden and risks of operating the CSAT.

(Photo: Yonhap News)