NON-STATE ACTORS IN EDUCATION
2.2 Non-state education provision
3.1 Regulations by distinct levels of education
- Early childhood care and education (Entry/Establishment ○ Financial operation ○ Quality of teaching and learning ○ Equitable access ○ Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability)
- Primary and secondary education (Entry/Establishment ○ Financial operation ○ Quality of teaching and learning ○ Equitable access ○ Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability)
- Tertiary education (Entry/Establishment ○ Financial operation ○ Quality of teaching and learning ○ Equitable access ○ Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability)
3.2 Supplementary private tutoring
Article 45 of the Socialist Constitution of the DPRK stipulates that “The state shall develop the universal 12-year compulsory education including 1-year pre-school education at high level to meet the trend of the development of modern science and technology and the practical requirements of socialist construction.” Article 7 of the Law of the DPRK on Education sets that “education is the work of the whole state and society. The State shall methodically increase the investment in education sector, ensure good educational condition and strengthen support to the education sector.”
Article 17 of the Law of the DPRK on General Education sets that “The State shall award scholarships to students of the universities in the regular system of higher education, schools for gifted students and blind and deaf schools within the set limit by law.”
All schools in DPR Korea are operated by the state at the expense of the state and there are no non-state schools.
2.1 State education provision
State schools
In the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), education is provided exclusively by the state. The state provides free and compulsory education for 12 years ensuring that all citizens can complete secondary general education by the time they reach working age. The 12-year free and compulsory education, which includes pre-school education (one year beginning at age 5), primary education (five years beginning at age 6), lower secondary school (three years beginning at age 11), and higher secondary school (three years beginning at age 14).
General education institutes are comprised of different types of schools according to their contents and nature of study. The Law of the DPRK on General Education Article 19 stipulates that “the general educational institutions are divided as follows according to the content and nature of the study.1. 1-year kindergartens for preschool education; 2. 5-year primary schools for primary education; 3. 3-year lower secondary schools for lower stage secondary education; 4. 3-year higher secondary schools for higher stage secondary education; 5. Blind and deaf schools for the education of people with disability; 6. Education institutes for the education of specific subjects 7. First Middle Schools for students with brilliant minds.” There are also schools specializing in computer science, foreign languages and arts schools, children’s homes, and primary and secondary schools for orphans, children without parents.
Non-state managed, state schools
All schools in the DPRK are run by the state.
Non-state funded, state schools
All schools in the DPRK are run by the state.
2.2 Non-state education provision
Independent, non-state schools
There is a Russian School opened in and run by the Russian embassy in DPRK.
State-funded (government-aided), non-state schools
There are none.
Contracted, non-state schools
There are none.
2.3 Other types of schools
Homeschooling
According to the Law of DPRK on Education and the Law of DPRK on General Education, all children who reach the age to study are included in educational institutions in DPRK ensuring free compulsory education for all. According to the Law of DPRK on General Education, Regional People’s Committees and relevant authorities shall survey children who have reached the age of receiving an education without exception every year and cause them to attend school. However, children who have physical and intellectual disabilities may attend a school or delay it by taking into consideration their disability state. Children with visual and hearing disabilities shall receive education at specialized schools and others at schools in their respective residential areas with the assistance and patronage of the school, teachers and their peers. It is common for the schoolteachers to pay more attention to those students feeling difficult or lagging behind in schoolwork due to physical disabilities, to visit their homes to provide extra lessons, and to assist them so that they can continue their studies with confidence.
Market contracted (Voucher schools)
There are none.
Unregistered/Unrecognised schools
There are none.
Governance over education in DPRK is implemented by the central education guidance institution and regional People’s Committees under the unified guidance of the Cabinet.
The Education Commission, the state's central education guidance institution, regularly gets information on educational situation and takes appropriate measures. They guide and control the work to improve the content and methods of education, teacher training, provision of material and technological means necessary for the educational work. The Education Commission includes the Department of General Education which oversees education in kindergartens, primary and secondary schools; the Department of Technical Universities that oversees the work of universities and technical colleges; the Department of Teacher Education responsible for teacher training; and the Department of Factory Colleges guiding over factory colleges, fishermen’s colleges and farm colleges.
Regional people’s committees are responsible for the educational work in their jurisdiction.
Vision: The Law of DPRK on Education Article 8 stipulates that “Ensuring all the people well versed in science and technology is the prospective task of socialist education. The state shall ensure further development of higher education system for exclusive studying and the study-while-working system so as to realize the task of making all the people scientific and technical talents and ensure life-long learning.”
3.1 Regulations by distinct levels of education
Registration and approval: All educational institutions in DPRK are established and run by the state. Nurseries and kindergartens are established and run by the Education Commission and the Ministry of Public Health according to the establishment and operation standards of nursery and kindergarten.
Licence: Licences for all educational institutions are provided by the state in DPRK. Nurseries are licensed by the Ministry of Public Health and kindergartens by Education Commission.
Profit-making: None.
Taxes and subsidies: There is no tax levied. The state is fully responsible for the operation of and provision for nurseries and kindergartens necessary for the care and education of children. In particular, the Department of Nursery and Kindergarten Supply under the Ministry of Commerce set up Nursery and Kindergarten Supply Stores at different levels of local administrative establishments and established a well-organized system to provide food, subsidiary food and dairy products for children. At the 3rd plenary meeting of the 8th Party Central Committee held on June 15th, 2021, the provision of nutrition foods including dairy products to all the children of all the nurseries and kindergartens, the most important age in growth and development of the children, had been established as a state policy. Accordingly dairy products including cow ’s milk and nutrition foods are provided to all the children of the nurseries and kindergartens across the country at the expense of the state.
Quality of teaching and learning
Curriculum and education standards: Kindergarten education in DPRK is given for 2 years. Lower grade(1 year between 4 and 5 years of age) is not compulsory but the higher grade (1 year between 5 and 6) is compulsory. Preschool education uses integrated play-based education targeted to develop the children’s intelligence, artistic abilities and morality in accordance with the state education program.
Teaching profession: Kindergarten teachers must have a diploma from either a teacher training college or one of similar standards, and must be qualified. Kindergarten teachers have to receive in-service training once every 3 years, and participate in teaching training twice a year.
Fee-setting: All education in the DPRK is free of charge.
Admission selection and processes: All children can attend in kindergartens in their residential areas. Those children with remarkable talent in music and singing may apply for examinations according to their wishes and attend in those kindergartens if they pass the test.
Policies for vulnerable groups: The Law of the DPRK on Education Article 15 stipulates that “local organs of power shall take measures to provide general compulsory education to the children in remote areas such as deep mountainous areas and isolate islands and to children with disabilities such as deaf and blind.” The Law of the DPRK on General Education Article 15 reads “the state will be responsible for the education and living conditions for children without parents or patrons and children with disabilities such as deaf and blind.” The state established baby homes, primary, and secondary schools for orphans across the country, sends teachers who are strictly selected to nurture and educate them as their true parents would, and provides good living conditions for those children. The Law of the DPRK on Protection of Persons with Disabilities Article 16 stipulates that “public health and other relative institutes shall nurture and educate preschool children with disabilities in nurseries, kindergartens and special rehabilitation institutes so that they can adapt to school life. The state, institution, enterprises or organizations shall be responsible for the expenses necessary for nurture and education.”
Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability
Reporting requirements: All educational institutions have to regularly report the execution of educational programs to their upper bodies.
Inspection: All the People’s Committees from the central level down to the local level have departments in charge of the work and provides and inspects education and living conditions through well-organized system.
Child assessment: Children’s learning achievement is set as one of the indicators of quality of education and regularly assessed according to the Law of the DPRK on Execution of Education Program and the regulation on student learning achievement assessment. Annual national competitions are held for children with prominent talents and let them fully display their skills through continuous education.
Sanctions: Appropriate administrative or penal punishments are given to individuals, and responsible officials of the Institutions, establishments and organizations that caused grave consequences by breaking the Law on education.
Registration and approval: The state establishes and operates all educational institutions in DPRK. All schools are established and operated by the Education Commission according to the establishment and operation standards for general educational institutions.
Licence: The state licenses all educational institutes in DPRK. The Education Commission licenses all schools.
Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH): All schools have water tap rooms, washing rooms, and toilets. According to state measures, handwashing facilities are installed in every classroom so that the teachers and students can wash their hands and keep them clean. Measures are also being taken to provide clean drinking water all the time. Milk is provided to pupils every schooling day at the expense of the state. City management departments of the local people’s committees are in charge of providing water, sanitation and hygiene of the educational institutes in their areas. There are either clinics or infirmaries in all schools and doctors appointed by public health institutions of the local area are present taking care of the students’ health. The state takes full responsibility in regular medical checkup and vaccination of the students.
Profit-making: None.
Taxes and subsidies: There is no tax levied. The Law of the DPRK on General Education Article 14 stipulates “The state shall provide scholarships to students of deaf and blind schools, middle schools No. 1 and other schools within the limit provided by the law.” Article 17 reads, “Teachers and students are given priority in food supply and school supplies and daily necessities are discounted.”
Quality of teaching and learning
Curriculum and education standards: All general educational institutions enforce education curriculum that includes politico-ideological education, science and technology, foreign languages, artistic performance and sports. It aims to prepare students to be independent and creative talents who are ideologically sound with versatile knowledge and good health.
Textbooks and learning materials: Textbooks and learning materials are written and compiled by capable science and research groups of respective fields and the state is responsible for publishing and distribution at a low price.
Teaching profession: School teachers must have a diploma from either a university of education or one of similar standards and must be qualified. Teachers have to receive in-service training once every 3 years and participate in teaching training twice a year.
Corporal punishment: Any kind of corporal punishment is not allowed in educational institutions. This is reflected in the Standards of the Personality and Qualification for Teachers of General Education and the Regulations for the Instruction and Edification.
Other safety measures and COVID-19: According to the Law of the DPRK on Emergency Prevention of Epidemics, all educational institutions are taking proper anti-epidemic measures including sterilization to have lectures. Schools enforce temperatures checking and handwashing at the entrance of the school in the morning while keeping epidemic prevention distancing. While in school, students have their temperatures checked twice a day. At the same time, students and teachers are asked to stay vigilant against abnormal symptoms. Awareness raising activities are regularly conducted to promote sterilization of the classrooms and school ground regularly, to boil and drink water, and to be hygienic.
Fee-setting: All education in DPRK is free of charge.
Admission selection and processes: All children upon reaching age to enter school are enrolled into local schools. Tests are held to choose genius students to be sent to specialized schools and middle schools No.1. Children without parents are sent to primary and secondary boarding schools. Deaf and visually impaired children are sent to respective specialized schools while the rest of the children with disabilities are mainstreamed.
Policies for vulnerable groups: The Law of the DPRK on Education Article 15 stipulates “Local organs of power shall take measures to provide general compulsory education to the children in remote areas such as deep mountainous areas and isolate islands and to children with disabilities such as deaf and blind.” The Law of the DPRK on General Education Article 15 reads “The state will be responsible for the education and living conditions for children without parents or patrons and children with disabilities such as deaf and blind.” The state opens schools for one or two children on isolated islands far from land and gives continuous education for them and makes sure they have no inconvenience in learning by providing commuting trains, buses and ships at the expense of the state for children in remote areas. The state also newly built baby homes and primary and secondary boarding schools at the expense of the state so as to provide good educational and living conditions and takes all appropriate measures for them to study to their hearts’ content by providing fish and fruits every day.
Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability
School board: Regional people’s committees are fully responsible for the educational works of schools in their jurisdictions and sets the sponsoring institutions for each school to support the provision of good educational conditions.
Reporting requirements: All educational institutions are required to regularly report to their upper bodies on the execution of educational programs.
School inspection: All the People’s Committees from the central level down to the local level have departments in charge of the work and provides and inspects education and living conditions through well-organized system.
Student assessment: Students’ learning achievement is set as one of the indicators of quality of education and regularly assessed according to the Law of the DPRK on Execution of Education Program and the regulation on student learning achievement assessment. General education institutions organize the tests for learning achievement assessment according to the regulations and assess the assimilate stage on learning content and the application ability of students. Not only test scores but also usual study results are considered.
Diplomas and degrees: Students who received 12-year compulsory education course are awarded High School Diploma.
Sanctions: Appropriate administrative or penal punishments are given to individuals and responsible officials of Institutes, establishments and organizations who caused grave consequences by breaking the Law on education.
Higher Education in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is divided into full-time higher education system and study-while-working higher education system. HEI includes general universities for full time study. The educational system of universities and colleges of different fields are generally 4-5 years but may differ according to the purpose of education and contents. Study-while-working higher education institutions include factory colleges, farm colleges and fishermen’s colleges and distance-learning universities. The State exerts great efforts on providing all the working people with the opportunity for life-long learning and all the working people enjoy learning advanced science and technology at the colleges in factories and farms, etc. and distance learning system. Technical and vocational education system is divided into technical colleges and vocational schools. The educational system of technical colleges last between 3.5-4 years and produce practical technical agents necessary for different fields of the people’s economy. The duration of vocational schools may differ between 1 and 2 years depending on the purpose of training and its contents. There are electronics, metal, mechanic, chemical, agricultural and other vocational schools which are established regionally or in factories or enterprises.
Registration and approval: All educational institutions are established and operated by the state in DPRK. All tertiary education institutions are established and operated by appropriate standards of the Education Commission.
Licence: The state licenses all educational institutions in DPRK. The Education Commission licenses all HEIs.
Profit-making: All universities receive necessary financing for the operation of the universities from the state. At the same time the funds raised by operating goods production facilities, software services, and solving scientific and technical issues arising in several sectors, are being used for the operation of the universities.
Taxes and subsidies: There are no taxes levied. Tertiary education is funded by the state in different kinds of grants. Students receive scholarship within the set limit and excellent students receive special scholarship. The scholarship system began September 1947 and there are special scholarships, general scholarships, and scholarships for supportless student This is provided for students without patrons and honoured wounded soldier students.
Quality of teaching and learning
Curriculum and education standards: HEIs comprise the contents of education by giving priority to politico-ideological education while providing sufficient scientific and technological basic education of the special field in depth. This is so as to definitely improve students’ independent ideological consciousness, the level of scientific and technical knowledge, and their thinking, researching and creative skills.
Teaching profession: University teachers have to received degrees from the graduate course, post graduate course and the teacher training course to be qualified.
Fee-setting: All education in the DPRK is free of charge.
Admission selection and processes: All citizens who’ve finished general education may apply for the entry test and choose university of their talents and wishes and enroll according to the test result.
Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability
Board: Regional people’s committees are fully responsible for the educational works of educational institutions in their jurisdictions and sets the sponsoring institutions for them to support the provision of good educational conditions.
Reporting requirements: All educational institutions have to regularly report on the execution of educational programs to their upper bodies.
Inspection: Inspection over higher education is carried out by central education guidance institution and relative inspection agencies.
Assessment: Student achievement is assessed by combining the test score and usual academic performance.
Diplomas and degrees: Students who have finished the university curriculum are awarded a graduation diploma and those students who are not qualified enough to graduate are given a certificate of completion. Excellent students with high scores can present their bachelor’s thesis and get bachelor’s degree.
Sanctions: Appropriate administrative or penal punishments are given to individuals and responsible officials of the Institutes, establishments and organizations who caused grave consequences by breaking the Law on education.
3.2 Supplementary private tutoring
In DPRK, all education is given free of charge at the expense of the state. There are no supplementary private tuition of any kind with tuition fees.
Public schools allocate hours for the extracurricular education according to the education level. All children and students enjoy extracurricular activities by participating in several kinds of clubs according to their gifted talents and interests. Extracurricular activities such as science, plays, abacus, and paduk, develop children’s intelligence. In combination with art education such as singing, dancing and playing musical instruments, students participate in various extracurricular activities according to their nature and talents.
The Education Commission, therefore, regularly organizes workshops to improve the teachers’ qualities.
Entry/Establishment
All educational institutions and extra-curricular educational centers are established and operated by the state in DPRK.
Financial operation and quality
The state provides necessary funding for operating all schools and extracurricular educational centers in DPRK.
Teachers guiding extracurricular studies and activities have to be graduates of university of education, teacher training college or universities of relative fields or education of similar standard and have to be qualified.
