Blessed Korean Children: DPRK

-Education of Children in DPRK

 In November 1989 the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child was adopted. Protecting children’s rights is an important issue which is decisive of the future of countries.

 It is a consistent policy of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to attach importance to children and ensure their rights and interests on a preferential basis.

 The state provides 12-year free compulsory education to all the children. The universal 12-year compulsory education is a system consisting of one-year pre-school course, five-year primary school course and six-year middle school course. What is worthy of note here is that it is an advanced compulsory education system whereby all the children receive education until they reach working age, a people-oriented system whereby the state bears all the expenses for educating them. Thanks to this legal protection, all the Korean children learn to their heart’s content under excellent educational conditions provided by the state.

 The country has many islets inhabited by a small number of persons including lightkeepers. Surprisingly, there is a school in such an islet without exception. It is part of the country’s education system to build a school for several children in the islet and send a teacher. This is a system which takes into consideration the rights of children to the protection by their parents. Such an educational system would be hard to find in any other countries.

 The following fact clearly shows how much importance the country gives to the education of children. When several areas in the northern part of the country were afflicted by flooding in late July, the state bestowed benevolence on the children in the stricken areas.

 The ruling Workers’ Party of Korea and the government directed national efforts to building houses for the victims. But as it was expected two or three months would be needed to complete the housing construction and stabilize the living of the victims, they took a crucial measure of bringing all the students and other children of the afflicted families to Pyongyang and providing them with care and education in a safe and convenient environment entirely at state expense. Accordingly, the children in the disaster areas could receive education without interruption in Pyongyang under the care of the state.

 According to the local media, among the families of flood victims preschoolers numbered more than 2 190, students over 4 380.

 There is another fact that should not be overlooked.

 The country takes all necessary measures so that all students will have no difficulties in their studying. It provides satchels, notebooks, school things and other items to all the children across the country at low prices, virtually free of charge.

-All Best Things to Children

 The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea spares nothing for the rising generations who will shoulder its future.

 The country’s law on providing the children’s rights stipulates that the state shall always pay close attention to the growth and development of children and bestow all benefits on them so that all of them can fully exercise their rights and grow happily with nothing to envy in the world.

 The country enforces universal 12-year compulsory education of a high level.

 Branch schools with all necessary conditions have been built on far-flung islands and in remote mountain villages for a small number of students there.

 The country has also built a modernly-equipped hospital for children. The Okryu Children’s Hospital in the capital city of Pyongyang has operation theatres, in-patient rooms and treatment rooms, as well as classrooms and playgrounds for the in-patients. Children can receive education and treatment during their stay at the hospital.

Visitors to the DPRK find a children’s palace or camp in every ideal place or scenic spot in the country.

 Over the recent years the Mangyongdae Schoolchildren’s Palace on Kwangbok Street in Pyongyang, the Songdowon International Children’s Camp on the east coast and similar palaces and camps in various other parts have been renovated, making it possible to provide children with better educational conditions and environment.

 Several years ago, a member of the Taekwon-Do federation of Britain, said after visiting the Mangyongdae Schoolchildren’s Palace that he could not believe that such a magnificent and wonderful palace had been built for schoolchildren and that it was the best children’s palace in the world as they can learn a profound knowledge of various sectors according to their hobbies and aptitudes, all free of charge.

  Members of the Russian schoolchildren's camping group which took part in the DPRK-Russia schoolchildren's friendship camping at the Songdowon International Children’s Camp late in July said: Everything in the camp is designed to suit the psychology of children; the camp is more like a palace; while staying in the camp, we have come to know more clearly that the DPRK is a paradise for children.

 In the country the schoolchildren’s palaces, children’s camps and other facilities and their equipment provided by the state to children are all used by children of ordinary working people. The charge is free.

 The country gives education to orphans at excellent baby homes, orphanages and primary and secondary schools for orphans built in various parts. What cannot also be overlooked is the fact that the state supplies dairy products and other nutritious foods to all the children across the country every day at its expense as their days in nursery and kindergarten are the most important period in their growth and development.

 All this can be ascribed to the principle of “All the best things to children” the country adheres to.

-Paintings Show Future of Korea

These are paintings Korean painters created by applying the nation’s fine art techniques. As the children in the DPRK study to their heart’s content while receiving school uniforms, satchels, shoes and school things made at state expense, the future of the country is so bright.