Korea Is Training 10,000 Teachers to Lead AI Use in Schools

10,000 specialist teachers will lead AI use in schools across South Korea.

South Korea is training 10,000 lead teachers in 2026 to help schools use artificial intelligence more purposefully in teaching and learning.

The Ministry of Education programme is designed around teachers who can use AI professionally in lessons and help lead change within their schools. The emphasis is not simply on learning individual tools, but on developing educators who can support colleagues as classroom practice evolves.

Why this matters

Large-scale AI adoption is increasingly becoming a professional-learning challenge rather than a technology-purchasing challenge. Schools need people who can connect new tools to curriculum, assessment and sound teaching practice.

For international schools, Korea’s approach offers a useful question: instead of expecting every teacher to become an AI specialist, should schools deliberately develop a smaller group of well-supported practitioners who can coach colleagues and test approaches responsibly?

Read the Korean Ministry of Education announcement