Cover of newly released high school textbook on animal welfare (Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs)

By Koh Hyunjeong

A high school textbook on animal welfare developed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has been approved for use from this year in classes for first-year students at Gyeongbuk Natural Science High School in Sangju, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province.

The ministry on March 11 said it will expand education on the protection and welfare of animals from kindergarten, elementary and middle school to high school. It will also help students explore careers in the field through industry outlooks and job groups.

The plan is to run a curriculum research group focused on high schools with pet-related courses to share lesson planning, material production and teaching methods.

Lee Yeon-suk, director general of the ministry's Animal Welfare Policy Bureau, said, "Education on animal welfare will help foster empathy and consideration for life and a sense of responsibility."

hjkoh@korea.kr