The Japanese government plans to completely abandon traditional paper textbooks in schools in the coming years and fully digitalize the educational process. According to the decision announced on September 24, starting from the fiscal year 2030, textbooks in state primary schools will be used exclusively in digital form. This was reported by “Kyodo News.”
The changes approved by the Ministry of Education’s working group allow local education boards to accept only digital textbooks, use them alongside paper textbooks, or attach them to traditional paper textbooks.
According to the Central Education Council, this measure will expand students’ options for choosing textbooks, facilitate learning in a way that aligns with society’s increasingly digital nature, and help create new interactive and creative teaching methods. At the same time, some experts have expressed concerns that using digital textbooks may place additional burdens on teachers and publishers and negatively affect students’ eyesight and health.
In the new system, digital textbooks and learning materials will be accessible via QR codes, and the working group will strive to ensure content quality and prepare specific instructions for each subject. The Ministry plans to create guidelines and manuals for effective use of digital materials in classrooms.
Digital textbooks are already in use in Japan, but they are considered “alternative learning materials” and do not require separate government approval. The new system aims for a full transition from traditional textbooks to digital transformation and promotes the development of the educational process through innovative methods.
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