Why A Bank Takes A Car

Part Three of "The Education in her Democratic People's Republic of Korea" (João Nogueira)

Education in DPRK
- Part Three -

Juan Nogueira López
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In previous articles we have studied the history of education in Korea until 1959, when he meets the goal of free public education at all levels. This achievement is certainly impressive for a small Asian country that just 14 years earlier was the second independent country in the world behind. The public education system free and is the basis on which the level starts rising cultural, technical and educational development of North Korean society.

Since 1960 and until today, Education in Korea must be understood in a linear fashion. It's kind of steps that the North Koreans have been rising, rung by rung. This article discusses each of these steps.

The ultimate goal is to qualify in the cultural, technical, physical and moral society as a whole, creating universally developed individuals. For the Workers' Party of Korea, the essential aspect of the construction of communism is the human being (other Marxist interpretations were the productive forces and relations of production essential). And therefore, only a partnership can create universally developed communism.

2.5 - building socialism Korea (1960 - 1970)

"Today, the most important issue we must resolve to build socialism in our country, is to train technical staff. Since the end of the war, many factories have been built, we have developed a powerful machinery industry and agriculture has cooperativized through a socialist paradigm.

In the northern part of the Republic, we may soon finish building the technical foundations of socialism and then we will introduce modern technology to agriculture, fishing and all branches of industry.

Only then can we build a model of society economically superior to capitalist society. To do this, the biggest problem is the shortage of technical personnel. Unless we manage to resolve this issue, it will be impossible to give a simple step forward. "(Kim Il Sung, 1956).

In 1960, five-year plan ending 1956 to 1960. The plan is a success: it manages to complete the first phase of socialist industrialization, based on our own resources. The level of economic growth has only one equivalent Asia: Japan.

Between 1961 and 1967, launching a seven-year plan, which aims to complete the second phase of socialist industrialization. Through this plan, Korea becomes a State with the technical foundations of socialism: a field collectivized and socialized industry that supplies all the requirements demanded by the country's economic development.

Politically, the North Koreans during this period two different stages of the Revolution, the democratic phase and the socialist phase. 1967 is the turning point. Education is no exception to these two phases.

Initially, the goal was to make a democratic education. The fundamental aspect of Democratic education was, from a Marxist perspective, the material aspect: free and compulsory for 100% of young Koreans. From an ideological point of view, education reactionaries destroyed the old values \u200b\u200bimposed by the colonial system. And, from a technical point of view and content, the Democratic Education had given the younger generation Korean sufficient knowledge to be "popular subjects", ie to participate in the construction of the new Korea.

However, education was to undergo a radical socialist transformation. This was a necessity imposed by the socialist industrialization.

"To address the goal of completing a technical revolution that will turn our country into a developed industrial state, as is planned in the Seven-Year Plan, we must expand the number of technical staff dramatically." (Kim Il Sung, 1960 )

is, to complete industrialization, DPR Korea needs engineers, technicians, experts and all kinds of people trained.

But socialism, from the Korean perspective, is not only a further development of productive forces. Therefore, the reform of education is not only a technical issue. Education has The main objective since 1960, forming community. A person who only have technical knowledge, it is useful for the development of the economy, albeit limited. And this is because economic, political and personal life are very entralazadas in Korea.

In fact, Korea's economic development has much to do with projects developed through massive demonstrations, ie through the voluntary commitment of the population. Therefore, Korean socialism, to develop fully (politically, culturally and technically) need a company with a great ideological commitment.

In short, education Socialist introduce several new aspects to the Korean general education:

• technical education.
• ideological education, moral and professional.
• physical education.
• aesthetic education.

These objectives have a time limit for completion: 1967. Let's see how this educational model is introduced.

2.5.1 - Full of the WPK Central Committee in August 1960

In 1960, the full Central Committee of the Workers Party of Korea took five steps in relation to Education:

1. Developing a plan for training technical staff, through specialized short courses to meet the demand for paintings in the mechanical, electrical, chemical, light and transport, as well as fishing, agriculture, geological prospecting and ranching.
2. training centers established in factories, including higher education centers and night schools and correspondence courses.
3. Strengthening scientific and technical education throughout the educational system.
4. Creating a system of regular study in all workplaces in the country, so that 100% of workers carry out activities aimed at increase their technical and cultural level. Increase
5. ideological training opportunities, making it accessible party schools and other means of revolutionary education.

All these measures had immediate application. Between September 1960 and December of that year, 24 schools were created at the factory, 11 communist education schools and 47 higher education institutions from the factory. Thus, the number of people while studying his work amounted to 49,000 in 1960.

These measures, however, have a precedent in the action begin to apply to Five-Year Plan (1956 - 1960). It's time innovations and large Chollima Movement campaigns and calls for the formation constant.

schools were opened in 1957 specialized in factories, whose course lasted a year and ermitían workers to increase their technical and cultural level without detracting from the production.

In March of that year, the technical training centers extend to agriculture.

The Democratic Youth League played a major role in organizing the elevation of cultural and technical level of young workers. Between 1958 and 1960, 158'000 young urban workers and rural 26'500 pass a state test designed to put minimum technical level.

During these years prior to 1960 is also reforming higher education. University degree, which lasts 5 years in Korea, happens to be dumped on the practice. The reform launched by the government formulates a general model of 2 years of theoretical education and practical education three.

Apart from these precedents, we will examine what effect the measures approved in 1960 on adult education and general education system.

2.5.2 - The new adult education

At the beginning of the revolution, the Korean working class had a cultural level very low. This was the result of Japanese colonial rule. Although we developed a general education system increasingly rapid pace and by 1960 many workers still had a low cultural level.

Korean socialism was the need to raise the technical and cultural level through what they called the "cultural revolution." This movement has nothing to do with that developed during this decade in China.

Since then, education in Korea is not only a period of years of primary, secondary and university, but develops steadily in all stages of life a person. Is a right of all workers and, at the same time, a duty.

According to the documents of the Korean Workers Party, "socialism and communism can not be built by the will of a group of people only. Its construction is only successful when a majority sector of the working class is building the new society, knowingly, through his vast knowledge of society and nature. "

Of all the Korean working class, who had a lower educational level were the South Koreans after the Korean War had taken refuge in the north. Due to these low levels of education, short courses were designed with specific knowledge basic, involving about 368'000 people.

For a little more advanced levels, increased the number of primary and secondary schools for working people, who attended in 1962 and 896,000 workers. They made sure all material conditions to make this possible, from night to day care committees at each enterprise to guide the success of these initiatives.

particular, the measures taken in August 1960 had a strong impact in rural areas. Kim Il Sung during his visit to Changsong County, expressed the following idea, which shows how developed the Cultural Revolution in the field:

"I'll give an example of a particular Ri Changsong County. This Ri has 120 houses and 22 people with graduate level education in high school. These 22 people are 11 teachers, the chairman of the People's Ri, some of those elected to the organs of popular power of Ri and some road service workers, trade and conservation.

If the local party organization in this Ri successfully mobilized the people, we can launch an education campaign for adults, while we will use the Publication Center of Ri
Democratic
If 120 houses are distributed 22 people with education, each one will be by 5 or 6 houses. If so individualized, intensive work is planned over the next three years, the cultural level of all the people of Ri will increase and this will have a strong impact on their ideological consciousness. " (Kim Il Sung)

This model was extended to all towns and villages in North Korea, so that those with education were responsible individually for those with lower levels. As indicated by Kim Il Sung, that not only served to increase the cultural level of society in general, but also to establish bonds of unity around the party.

2.5.3 - The reform of general education

During the Seven-Year Plan period, the most outstanding innovation in education is, without doubt, the Technical Education System 9. However, all this is preceded by a series of measures that were advancing education from its early socialist democracy to education.

In 1959, the Sixth Session of the Supreme People's Assembly approved the Law on Reorganization of the public school system.

It was created the Technical Secondary School, in parallel to the normal Secondary Education
. The new technical schools were gradually appearing, combining production and teaching, theory and practice.

Thus, for a time lived two models of education: the old model of general education and the new and emerging model focused on technical education, which according to Kim Il Sung
, responded "to the needs of real life ".

This new technical system was gaining ground in mainstream education, as it was implemented in more schools. The fundamental idea is to teach students through practice, not theoretically explain the principles of mechanics, for example, but have the actual machine that uses industry to prove themselves and learn the basics of mechanics. This, in the 60's, is a very modern approach.

The new system requires very large investments, larger classrooms, modern equipment, teacher training, ...

The plan is so ambitious that even in 1960 is necessary to interrupt secondary enrollment, due to the need to explain to teachers what is expected of them. There are numerous meetings and seminars and training courses. Moreover, since then, all teachers must graduate from higher education, abolishing technical institutes.

The new technical education also includes physical and aesthetic education, new aspects in a country that just 15 years earlier was largely illiterate.

also creates special education, music schools consisting of 11 primary and secondary), art schools (primary and secondary), sports schools (secondary) and foreign language school in 11 years (primary and secondary).

It also reinforces the ideological formation, through practical engagement and theoretical study.

is from 1960 when the Education intends to be communists.

These are the first steps in the line of building Socialist Education. This objective will be completed with the introduction of technical education of 9 years in the Seven-Year Plan.

2.5.4 - The Technical Education System 9 years

Technical Education System 9 years arises fused in a single system, technical secondary education and general secondary education. It is not just an overlay, but a combination of general and vocational education. It is important that each student leaves the Technical Education dominating more than one specialty. It is not close doors, but to create versatile people.

Technical Education of 9 years is a goal that is agreed at the Fourth Congress of the WPK. The idea is to create thousands of secondary technical schools, each specializing in one or more productive sectors. The application of this principle has its pros and cons. The advantages are obvious, but against this target is that some Technical Schools in virtually become "bastions" of either gender.

This is a phenomenon that is fixed over time, but it is clear that in the 60's, some professions were exclusively women (food processing, textile ,...) and other exclusively male (especially those Related physical force). Neither the Technical Education, during our visit in 2008 should blind us to the fact that Korean women had undergone a process of emancipation giant in 15 years and in most professions, women were more represented than men (due to a serious imbalance population after the war).

Returning to the technical school, these schools were created gradually. In particular, there was the slogan of creating one in each county, farm, industrial district and village and in city neighborhoods, for testing on the content and methods. In total, 1100 secondary technical schools created in period test.

The North Korean government, however, put much emphasis on the need for this embryonic system of education was a real leap.

"Because we call" art "to a school, not born a technical education. It is important to create useful infrastructure for practical training and equipping schools of all types of instruments and machines, to impart a real technical education "
(Kim Il Sung)

Thus, the state investment increased educational infrastructure and related ministries production began to include in their budgets a section devoted to providing education of all kinds of things. This remains to this day as well.

In 1966, 93% of high school students were admitted to secondary technical schools. So in November 1966, the Supreme People's Assembly issued a decree "On the Introduction of Universal Compulsory Education Technical nine years, which made the school year that began April 1, 1967 was the first year 100% of pupils aged between seven and sixteen, he entered the new education system. In addition, all free.

This placed Korea Socialist among the most advanced countries in education, only 10 years after they conclude the post-war reconstruction.

2.5.5 - The end of the decade

The Seven-Year Plan successfully managed to establish the foundations of socialism in Korea.

However, by 1967 there were some imbalances between the different productive sectors, motivated by the huge economic growth and excessive military spending (caused by the introduction of U.S. nuclear weapons in South Korea). Thus, 1968 and 1969 were years in which imbalances were corrected and continued to grow.

In Education these years had two key objectives on which I will not expand: expand to 100% of the families of the network coverage of preschool education in each province and created all majors universities with strategic (Agriculture, Heavy Industry, Light Industry ,...). Medicine

Thus, the number of universities grew from 78 in 1961 to 129 in 1967. The universities of each pronvicia also specialize in the reality of their own province. Thus, each province is the pictures you need, correcting the central tendency of Pyongyang formed the majority of the tables in the country.

education is also reinforced superior technique. If in 1949 there were 55 colleges, in 1967 the figure had risen to 464. Only 4 years later, it had 500.

In 1970, the number of graduates from higher education institutions reached the figure of 497,000.

This makes North Korea there was no trace of that impoverished and illiterate country 25 years ago had no college and only had 9 college graduates.

2.6 - The Theses on Socialist Education (1970 - 1979)

Years 50 and 60 had been of enormous economic growth and the postwar recovery, while the goal was to build the fundamentals of socialism. But in the 70's, the austerity that had previously characterized the North Korean life leads to higher levels of consumption and government spending. North Korean

housing was always large compared to the eastern field or China, but within them always had the basics (furniture, kitchen, shower ,...).

is from the 70 when it made frequent television sets, stereos and appliances.

Until then the goal had been to dress appropriately for the entire population, from 70, the North Koreans begin to wear clothes varied and of good quality. It also improves food and shopping ("department stores") begin to offer a greater variety of consumer goods.

This is possible because in 1967, Korea achieved complete the construction of basic socialist industry and, thereafter, begins to create the developed socialism.

However, the North Koreans never (either before or at the 70, not now) have been a consumer society. This is easily explained. As the DPRK has always been a self-sustaining state in economic growth rates have been maintained thanks to the huge state investment. The three remaining areas within the state budget are military spending, social spending (education, health ,...) and private consumption (which in a socialist society has much to do with government investment in light industry). Private consumption has always been the issue with less investment in this group.

Not only that, they are the very men and women of the DPRK who have chosen a life of struggle and sacrifice for the construction of socialism. And consistently demonstrated in the large mobilizations of volunteers, donations internationalists and generally all aspects of life in society, they have always had an importance far superior to having privacy. This is the product of enormous ideological commitment and thereby reducing consumption for collective development of society and country.

I mention this last point, the collective development is of vital importance to the age of 70. Is seen especially in the development of North Korean cities. Until then the city had built a massive residential areas due to the enormous needs following the war, aged 70, and it is not only increasing in number, but above all, increase in quality. In

71, Pyongyang opens its first metro line, while the city becomes the world with more green areas per inhabitant. The new districts as well as functional are nice and the city is full of monuments. The same happens in other cities including Hamhung, Kaesong, Hyangsan or Wonsan.
In education, this emphasis on public investment is evident in the creation of the School Children's Palaces, huge free center with facilities for sports, arts and entertainment. It is also increasing quality through the implementation of a new and definitive plan of education: the thesis of Socialist Education.

The new plan extends the length of the North Korean education to 11 years in 1975.

I think that to understand the immense progress that this system is, you have to make a comparison.

For example, while North Korea's thesis applied the Socialist Education in a European country like Spain, which by then had a greater economic capacity to Korea, at that moment hardly be provided education to all students studying age and poor education system had a short duration of only 7 years.

North Korea's educational model, after the reform was completed in 1975, it has maintained until today. Meanwhile, in Spain, we accumulate continuing education reforms in line with the overcrowding, the elitism and commercialism. Even with the latest reform implemented in the English government, education mandatory for one year less than in Korea and the network of public pre-school only meets the demands of just over 20% of families. I think it's important to compare, to understand the importance of Korean socialism gives to education and show that it is possible to organize an effective model even in situations of international blockade and obstacles of all kinds.

2.6.1 - Principles contained in the Theses of the Socialist Education

The Socialist Education thesis is finally approved in September 1977.
Paradoxically, they are the cause of all the reforms taking place in the 70's, but the consequence: the formulation written final result of the reforms.

In 1970 marks the Fifth Congress of the PTC, and it was decided to reform to be completed in 1975 with the implementation of compulsory education for 11 years. However, I think it is important to study first principles that inherently are behind this reform and then made explicit in the thesis.

The basic goal of the new model of education is ideological: to create social beings, which in turn have a strong critical thinking, creativity and independence. This is not to oppose the social to the individual, the Western style, but to develop independent creativity of students have numerous visits and every individual, so that trips can bring more to the group. It is not, either, to create a mass society so obedient, but a group that is the sum of all individual skills developed. In this way, they are revolutionary communists with a strong sense of independence and creativity.

Of course, we are talking now of the ideological aspect of education, the non-ideological still maintaining the principles of the reform of technical education in the 60's.

ideological To achieve this objective, formulated four basic principles:

1. develop in young people a strong sense of unity around their organizations (especially the Party) and a sense of class. That is, party loyalty (as conscious discipline, not imposed) and class consciousness. Resolve
2. all according to the group's own capabilities and without waiting for people or outside institutions to solve their own problems. Thoroughly study and understand the characteristics. This principle is called "establishing Juche in education." Combine
3. revolutionary theory with practice. Promotion of voluntary adherence to practical actions to raise the ideological consciousness.
4. The socialist state is the one who must organize and conduct ideological education.

North Korean students, through the reform of 1975, come to have a strong organic life and loaded with socio-political.

The Socialist Education thesis also affect much of the pedagogical method of teaching, emphasizing the application of a heuristic model. That is, looking not so much teach concepts and skills, but to have students develop search capabilities, innovation, creativity and criticism.

Thus, teachers need to persuade students and ensure that they reach the right solutions.

Similarly, in Korea are not corrected misbehavior through administrative methods of punishment and sanction. Is encouraged, however, it is the group itself, through criticism and self-criticism, to correct. This plays an important role the League of Socialist Youth Worker (former Union of Democratic Youth).

In Korea, also means the gradual process of formation and regulated by laws of science. So are many analysis of what is for each age and how to maximize the abilities of students. From the 70, there are these groups for research and continuous review of textbooks and methodology.

I myself could see this system today. When in 2008 we visited the Kindergarten "Kim Jong Suk" in Pyongyang, we were able to attend some classes taking place at that time. Teachers know even how they have to talk (tone, volume, intonation ...) to capture the attention of young learners. The whole training process is studied and planned. This really surprised us the entire group. The director of the daycare center and taught us complained that we could not spend a whole day there. The reason was that the student's day nursery was full of varied activities, well planned to develop the full potential of students.

Thus, we understand how children aged between two and five years could learn to play musical instruments or had so ably high level of handwriting and reading.

2.6.2 - The system of compulsory education from 11 years

Following the decision taken at the Fifth Congress of the PTC to implement compulsory education of 11 years, was taken as a deadline Six-Year Plan (1971 - 1976) .

The first step was to convene a national debate teachers, which discussed how to extend two years of compulsory education. It was decided make mandatory the section between 5 and 16, with 1 year of preschool and 10 primary and secondary education.

Compulsory education ends, therefore, right at the minimum working age: 16 years.

As a second step, 40 schools in the country started from October 1970 to provide compulsory education to 11 years. In 1971 he made a Central Committee plenum expanded, inviting the participation of teachers in charge of the new mode of teaching. Through these experiences, expanded the number of schools testing the new system to 400, approximately 10% of the nation's schools.

On this basis, the country sets the target in the 1975-1976 academic year, began a course with 100% of students enrolled in compulsory education of 11 years. This school meant more than 5.6 million young people at the same time, ie one third of the total population.

was a leap not only quantitative but also qualitative. In 1971 the education budget grew by 21% over the previous year in 1973 grew by 14% compared to 1972. This resulted in the construction of 30,000 new classrooms around the country to be distributed so that their school had no students more than 2 km from home. Buses and trains were organized student for rural areas.

The number of primary schools increased to 4,700 in 1975 and the secondary to 4,100.
Each class then had a maximum of 25 students, a figure that has been progressively reduced over the years, to improve the quality of teaching.

On September 1, 1975, promulgates the Law on North Korea schooling to 100% of children between 5 and 16 years within the compulsory education system.

2.6.3 - The rest of the educational goals of the decade

The 70's is also the time when adult education is experiencing a new momentum. After numerous campaigns throughout the first half of the decade, in 1975, the number of graduates of higher education reaches one million people.

is, in 5 years there have been more people in the past 25 years. This is a result of all the facilities that are given to the study, keeping the job, and organized group study.

The number of technicians and specialists for agricultural cooperatives increased to 55 in 1976.

Between 1970 and 1976, 26 new universities were founded. Also reinforce the hours of laboratory and practical training. Kim Chaek University of Technology (Engineering) building practices center 7'500 sqm.

network in pre-school, modernize existing nursery, which total nearly 60'000 across the country, divided into neighborhoods, factories, cooperatives, and in general, any site where they can be useful. 3'500'000 preschoolers are enrolled in the public in 1975. During these years, in addition, strengthening the health education of preschool children.

However, North Korea, with a population of less at the end of the decade to 16 million people, schooling for more than nine million people in the public and free. Throughout the country as a poster said time is a great school.

Juan Nogueira

From the wording we want to apologize for the delay of a day in the publication of this part of the article. Sorry.

Chickenfoot Instructions

Part Two of "The Education in her Democratic People's Republic of Korea" (João Nogueira)

Education in DPRK
- Part II -

Juan Nogueira López
( Download PDF )

In the previous article we saw the history of education in Korea from the stage at which Korea was a Japanese colony. In 1945, Korea gained its independence and its northern part begins an era of radical transformation, with the help of popular power. Kim Il Sung, a former guerrilla leader, assumed the presidency of DPR Korea, founded three years after independence.

in 1949 became the first Asian country to the entire population literate. They are based also great educational institutions: the first university and Mangyongdae Revolutionary School. All this is accompanied by a strong budgetary outlay on Education, among the highest in the world.

This article covers the period just after. Begins in 1950 when it was expected that will implement the Compulsory Primary Education. This was not possible, however, because in June the same year the Korean War broke out.

The article, in addition to War (1950 - 1953), also recounts the development of education in the period of post-war reconstruction, which are implanted the Elementary and Secondary Education.

Without more presentations, we already see how the Korean War broke out.

2.3 - Korean War (1950-1953)

The Korean War broke out in June 1950. How did it? As mentioned earlier in the article, the southern part of the country had been occupied by the United States, systematically violated the agreements reached at the peace conferences. These peace agreements, accounted for the complete withdrawal of foreign troops in 1948, according to the Soviet Union completely fulfilled.

Americans had no intention of withdrawing its troops from the peninsula. In fact, his troops were not necessary even to free the country from Japanese occupation, since the former Yankee soldiers came to Korea three weeks after the end of the war. Therefore, from the very beginning, the U.S. Army had the mission to occupy and subdue Korea.

Politically, the United States did not comply with Korean institutions that had arisen because of the release and put them outside the law. Wherever people's committees refused to comply, the repression was violent. The best known case is that of Cheju Island, where the casualties of repression in the tens of thousands.

United States resumed many of the coercive methods of the Japanese Empire. Imposed English as the language for the administration, in the same way that the Japanese had imposed their language in all spheres of public and private life. Even the administration fed southern collaborators Korean and former repressive colonial regime.

Therefore, the confrontation between the two Koreas can only be understood as a clash between old and new Korea between north whose administration is composed workers, petty traders, peasants, housewives, ... and whose army is formed from the guerrillas, and a southern part, the administration is the Korean elite who sold his country to two foreign occupiers, with an army drawn on veterans recruited by Japan and U.S. advisers.

temporary management areas (Soviet and American) divisions became permanent after 1948. That year was scheduled general elections were held throughout the country. However, it's not surprising that regard is the concept of democracy for the United States, especially when what is at stake are their strategic interests.

The popularity of Kim Il Sung in all of Korea was very large, as during the Japanese occupation had been the only one to face Japan directly, unlike the rest of the Korean opposition, who preached without success in the salons the League of Nations or resigned to a life of luxury in exile. The reputation of the guerrillas, opened a possibility that aim to elections throughout Korea to socialism. Therefore, South Korea decided to hold elections separately. Those elections were marred by widespread fraud, the pressure, the banning of candidates and the imprisonment of the opposition. Anti Act is famous, although still in force integrated into the National Security Act, which since 1948 prohibits the activity or pro-communist North in South Korea.

Washington's candidate, Sygmun Rhee, achieved without major problems by a landslide. Sygmun Rhee was a Korean based in California. He had erected a leader in the "Government of Shanghai", a kind of Korean government in exile, recognized only by some Western countries. While the guerrillas were playing life in the northern mountains, the Shanghai government had a comfortable exile in China and Western countries. Communists always saw the Shanghai government as "traitors." The reason is that this "government" came to renounce the idea of \u200b\u200bindependence of Korea, complying with an autonomous status within the Japanese Empire.

This conciliatory, conformist, Sygmun Rhee moved to a much more aggressive as he became head of government in South Korea. He led a bloody 12-year dictatorship, which was marked by internal repression and for his constant proclamations in favor of a "march north" (Invasion of North Korea).

said than done, mean little in Korea and thus the threats, it soon took action.
Between 1948 and 1950, the border between the two Koreas lived daily clashes with live ammunition. In South Korea, the situation was explosive, anti-Yankee guerrillas, whole provinces to proclaim their loyalty to the government of Pyongyang, urban uprisings, ... One of the most combative social classes were the peasants, encouraged by the agrarian reform carried out in the north.

In June 1950, border clashes end in war. There is no agreement among historians as to who fired the first shot. However, there are many suspicious circumstances against the American version. In any case, it is the subject of this article. Once placed

the context of war, we will analyze how the conflict affects education.

2.3.1 - Reorganization Education War

War broke out on 25 June 1950 and a day later, it is the Military Commission, which focuses on the whole North Korea authority. If you frequently, war and education are incompatible, the Military Commission's goal was just the opposite.

There were two key areas:

• Ensuring the safety of children.
• intensify political and ideological content, to explain the situation that the country lived.

Americans savagely bombed by North Korea. On average, per square kilometer, dropped 18 bombs. In 1953, when he finished the hell of war, only 3% of the buildings still standing in the capital. In terms of educational infrastructure in universities Pyongyang 7 buildings were completely destroyed, including building No. 1 Kim Il Sung University. Also destroyed 20 schools and 43 elementary school. In all cities followed similar cases: only in the bombing November 8, 1950, in Sinuiju were destroyed 17 schools and 12 elementary schools. In May 1951, 40% of the country's schools were destroyed.

Due to shelling, education, during 1950 and 1951 suffered constant interruptions.
But from the government, was taken as a priority for the continuation of classes. For this, the major institutions (universities, ,...) Mangyongdae Revolutionary School moved to remote and protected and schools began to build underground classrooms. In 1951, 13,000 classrooms were built, of which 2,400 were underground and 8,600 semi-subterranean. In 1952, 2,900 new classrooms were built underground, as well of 1,400 semi-subterranean.

In late 1951, full dispersion of the classroom to safety, the objective was that the course was to start school in September 1952, starting with total normality, despite the war. To this end, a meeting convened in Pyongyang National Education in June 1952. During the following months, those attending the meeting reproduced in their home provinces the meeting. In these meetings was discussed how to achieve that goal in September to start a normal school year.

Meanwhile, the Military Commission made every effort to facilitate the target material. Despite all the difficulties of wartime, production is shifted almost entirely paper to the printing of school books. In 1951, 3'238'000 copies were printed.

addition, the distribution was made through the transportation system of military, as a concept of priority.

In this way, it got pulled off in 1952-1953 during the flames of war.

2.3.2 - Education in the liberated areas

In South Korea, the educational situation was dire. Unlike their northern brethren, the Koreans were still major problems to access the most basic education.

During 1949-1950, ie just before the war broke out, two-thirds of school-age children were excluded from primary education. Even among those who did were admitted to elementary education, 73% failed to attend school. All this was the result of the negligence of the South Korean government, obsessed with military spending. It was also a consequence of the private nature of teaching, which posed a barrier to the families of working class and peasantry.

Education savage methods inherited from colonial rule and the contents did not vary much: if it was promoted before submission to the Japanese Empire, now that you replaced the
"brother American. " And just before liberation, anti-communist education was one of the keys to teaching.

In South Korea had not been made real efforts to provide literacy to the population. So in 1950, while the North was full literacy in the south were still 11 million people who could not read or write.

When war breaks out, the South Korean army had numerous American military vehicles and other imported materials. However, the morale of the soldiers was very low due to forced recruitment and the frequent situations in which they had to repress their own people.

This contrasted with the situation of the northern army. The KPA (EPC) was actively involved in construction. His soldiers and officers were the same guerrillas who had liberated the country, only 5 years earlier. Having gained the victory, many guerrillas were in international mission to China, soon to get set up the People's Republic. In addition, the EPC, to deal with the recurring threat of
"up north" (which was constantly in the speeches of Sygmun Rhee Korean dictator) had received modern weaponry from the Soviet Union. Both the army

the north and the south were on high alert when war broke out, due to constant border clashes. But the situation of each army was diametrically opposed, even though South Korea have more men under arms.

A month after war broke out, and before the arrival of American reinforcements, the EPC had released 90% of South Korean territory and 92% of its population. On arrival in Seoul and other cities, the EPC was received with great demonstrations of support.

immediately clandestine communist organizations in South Korea began to campaign for voluntary enlistment to fight United States. These campaigns were particularly successful in universities.

In July 1950, South Korea experienced its first democratic elections, in which elected representatives to 13'654 people's councils in villages, 118 sub-municipalities, 108 cities and 9 provinces. This was followed by an agrarian reform similar to that of North Korea, a law on gender equality and labor reform, which first established basic rights such as prohibition of child labor, health insurance, the 8-hour day, ...

etc. The North Korean government, which at that time was the government of all Korea, moved to the new capital, Seoul. In September 1950, approved the Education Act for Democratic People south of the country. This meant that, during the war, thousands of North Korean teachers and tables being moved to the south to carry out literacy campaigns and launching numerous primary and secondary schools. How could it be otherwise, one of the strengths of the teaching was the political-ideological.

Across the southern part of the Republic, he began to build schools of all levels.

With the vagaries of war, many areas of Korea constantly changed hands. But at any time the EPC liberated territory, immediately put ongoing education reforms.

Kaesong, Kaephung, Phanmun, Namyonbaek and Ongjin, areas before the war belonged to South Korea, came to be permanently under control of DPR Korea, from 1951. In these areas, three quarters of the educational institutions were destroyed. However, mass education campaigns were conducted.

Kaesong, which before the war was known in South Korea as one of the most advanced in education, had 55% of school children. In 1951-1952, the vast majority of children of school age Kaesong entered northern schools.

2.3.3 - The Return of students to education

mid 1951, the war became a new phase, in which the front was stabilized and, despite numerous military campaigns of the two contenders, the positions just moved to end of the war. This was an amazing accomplishment, since a small republic founded just 2 years before the start of hostilities, he managed to rein in an imperialist coalition of 16 countries led by the main power of the time: the United States.

A DPRK only military troops supported the People's Republic of China, thus restoring the international aid that had Korean guerrillas China provided to the Revolution.

With the front stabilized, the Military Commission in August 1951 took the decision "Appeal to the graduates and college students." In this way, students who were in the front were demobilized and resumed their studies in safe places.

This measure also created a special preparatory course for university entrance.

Thus, students from South Korea could enter university with the same knowledge that a student from the north.

In April 1952, coinciding with the 40th birthday of Kim Il Sung, was created a special scholarship, which covered 50% the cost of textbooks and transportation, in addition to providing free footwear, bedding, food and clothing to students whose families had died or were in territory occupied by the United States.

With these measures, intended to begin to train future tables rebuild the country after the war. Thus, during the war operated 15 universities and 54 technical colleges.

Kim Il Sung himself visited many times to students. In one of these visits, he said:

"You must study with great care in the world. Study, we also oppose the plans that the Yankees have in Korea. There are many comrades who have been unable to return to the front.

you who you should study instead. From now on, studying is the best fight we can do in battle formation. Studying is not just another way to fight! "

2.4 - The post-Korean War (1953 - 1959)

The Korean War ended in 1953 with the signing of an armistice. The agreement was signed in a small border village, near the city of Kaesong. North Korea sent its representatives, while from the south no one appeared. Nor was there any United Nations representative. North Korea negotiated directly with Yankees general, that had ravaged cities, crops, hydro dams and schools.

Actually it was logical for North Korea to sit with the United States. The Korean War was not the civil conflict between two different regimes which gave the Korean people. In contrast, the Korean War was a conflict in the United States, which had submitted a Korean side, tried to drown out the other side of the country, maintaining its independence and was heading toward socialism. It was an imperialist war of conquest to the United States and national liberation for Korea. However, it is paradoxical to hear today, when the Western press the government undermines the legitimacy Pyongyang and Seoul is updated as the only possible subject of reunification.

When the war ends, the Yankee general Clark admitted to being the first U.S. military to sign an armistice without having first obtained a victory. The armistice was a temporary situation of "no war" prior to the final signing of a peace treaty. In the armistice included a key condition for signing the treaty of peace: the withdrawal of foreign troops from Korea.

This was not a problem for North Korea, but for South Korea, where he deployed one of the largest contingents of U.S. troops abroad. This is the why the status of "no war" is still in effect today: we have never signed a peace treaty. United States has refused to do so sharply, thus perpetuating the status of "hostile state" that wins the socialist regime in Pyongyang.

aside international relations, on the inner side, North Korea suffered a frightening situation. Most people lived in shelters dug into the ground, the cities were heaps of ruins, the crops have been badly damaged and more than two million people died. Amongst the rubble, was 72% of schools and 80% of the classrooms.

Despite being a country in ruins, DPR Korea kept more than half the territory of Korea and remained
governed under institutions of popular power and the direction of the Korean Workers Party. With these three bases, began a massive reconstruction campaign, intended to reach production levels before the war, in just three years (1956).

The period analyzed, however, exceeds the limits of the reconstruction plan (1953 -
1956). Extend the study until 1959, which gets completely free education.

2.4.1 - First goal: to recover levels of pre-war

A month after the end of the war, the WPK Central Committee held its Sixth Plenary Session. In it, the game marked the objective of recovering the 1950 level in all spheres of national economy.

For education, the goal was the same: to recover pre-war levels.

In a country completely ruined, the cities turned into rubble and ashes and the population living in underground holes, the task of rebuilding seemed impossible.

was even harder to try to rebuild the country in just three years. But the Koreans, with the solidarity of the countries Socialists, got down to work.

The Soviet Union and Eastern European countries sent credits and grants, while the Chinese volunteers served as labor in the reconstruction of Korea until 1958, when the last detachment left the country abroad. Korea was then the example of proletarian internationalism of the socialist camp. But this should not obscure the fact that the burden of reconstruction went to the sweat of the Koreans, who achieved incredible growth figures.

In June 1954, the rehabilitation plan of education took shape in the Triennial Act
Plan for Development Economics National adopted at the Seventh Session of the Supreme People
Assembly (Parliament).

objectives went far beyond a simple rehabilitation.

• First, they intended to introduce universal primary education compulsory in three years. This involved 100% of school pupils in a country torn apart and no complete censuses.
• Second, increased to 469'000 the number of students in secondary education, higher technical education 52'300 and 22'500 in higher education.

To meet these objectives, we adopted two parallel policies. On the one hand, there was absolute priority to the reconstruction of teacher training centers and universities. This is intended to train professional staff to the country's reconstruction.

On the other hand, as a second task as a priority throughout the country were built mainly primary and secondary schools, before any other buildings.

While the party's offices were in underground caves, huge school buildings appeared in villages, towns and cities.

In a context of shortage of bricks and cement, North Korea 25 times more money invested in education in 1949. Not only was money also moved conscious enthusiasm of the population through school construction committees, who did volunteer work.

This allowed rebuild the educational infrastructure in a very short period of time.
Between 1954 and 1956 were built 5,455 schools of various types.

Investment in education and culture in 1956 reached 12.7% of the national budget, the number of university students rose to 22,000 (by 11,000 just three years earlier) and that of college graduates rose to 73,000 in 1957 (from 31,063 four years earlier).

In 1956, there were 4,247 primary schools and 1,247 secondary schools by 3861 and 968 had respectively before the war. With this, the January 1, 1956, all education figures were above levels before the war, ie, it met the goals of the three-year plan just a year in advance.

2.4.2 - Mandatory Universal Primary Education

The ninth session of the Supreme People's Assembly in March 1955 approved the introduction of compulsory primary education in August 1956.

The usual line of North Korean socialism, convened a national conference of education workers in July 1955 attended by 800 teachers across the country.

This conference responded to the need to explain the meaning of compulsory primary education, the need to identify and register all school-age children, rationally set the attendance of students by school and planning the production of textbooks.

Thus, in 1956 published copies of 535 13'660'000 textbook. This, coupled with the previously explained infaestructura reconstruction and the training of educational personnel allowed in August 1956 all children from countries attended the inauguration of the school year.

20 years ago, the guerrillas had made one of its objectives schooling for all children in the country. In the context of Japanese colonial rule, like a utopia. Now, just three years after the end of the war against the United States, North Korea became the first Asian country to 100% of school children.

2.4.3 - Universal Compulsory Education in secondary

few months before the introduction of compulsory primary education, the Workers' Party of Korea held its Third Congress. Without stopping for even a second to celebrate the success, the Korean communists were scored the next goal: to introduce compulsory education also for high school. The period was the five-year plan covering the next five years.

was 1956 and in Pyongyang, 100% of children who completed primary education, were admitted to the school. In the rest of the country, this figure reached 81'9%.

The whole country got to work. The two main tasks were to build the infrastructure for schools and train teachers. This led to further increase spending on education and culture. If in 1956, the percentage of budget allocated to cultural and educational purposes was 12.7% in 1958 had increased to 18'7%.

The priority was to build a whole school network in the field. The numbers are spectacular. In 1956, there were 1,247 schools across the country. In the next two years were built more than double that number: 2,952.

Regarding teacher training, in 1957, 2'150 secondary school teachers were entitled. A year later, another 7'400 teachers completed their training. A North Korean infant industry was assigned the role of secondary schools to provide laboratories, school supplies and equipment for practice.

However, in September 1957, 92'2% of school-age students were enrolled. A year later, and three years in advance on the objective, North Korea introduced compulsory secondary education throughout the country. 5 years after the end of the war, North Korea had achieved the feat of 100% of school pupils in primary and secondary education.

2.4.4 - The ideal of free education

documents in the Korean Workers Party, we find an interesting reflection on Education.

"Compulsory education is only authentic when it is free.

is typical of the operating companies that families join them in poverty and a strong educational expenses. This causes the working class right to education is completely degraded see
[...] [...] To proclaim the right to education law is not sufficient for the exercise.
The right to education is ensured only when it is physically secured by the State or public administration. "

Once achieved the compulsory education in primary and secondary education, the next step was in line with the above extract. Between 1958 and 1959 on the basis of huge economic growth, the state was taking a number of measures to ensure completely free education.

If until 1959, the North Koreans did not pay for tuition, from that year had covered all educational needs. The State abolished all fees that still existed in some levels of education. All students have from then until now covered 100% of expenditures on school supplies and uniforms. Students receive twice a year a full uniform, right at the time of the season.

also free access to all extracurricular activities, whether social or political, as well as excursions, visits, study tours and holiday camps. In North Korea are typical revolutionary visits to places and establishments.

Top students receive a bonus economic incentives as a reward for the effort. Also, those who choose to access adult education continue to receive 100% of his base salary and 70% of the average wage achieved through production bonuses. Thus, an adult study is not a burden to his family.

access to libraries, School Children's Palace or Palace of the People Survey is completely free, and all extracurricular sports activities. All this integrates the public and free education in North Korea since 1959.

All this is further developed in subsequent decades. The next article discusses the history Education North Korea today.

Juan Nogueira López