17 Education in North Korea Facts (all about North Korea schools)

The Best Facts About School in North Korea

North Korea is the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. It is located in East Asia, and it is bordered by South Korea, Russia and China. Its capital city is Pyongyang, which has a bit more than 2,870,000 inhabitants.

An interesting part of the country that I wanted to tackle is its education. In light of that, I have listed my 17 best facts about school in North Korea, and I hope you will love them:

1. Education in North Korea is political

Sadly, you will quickly realize this as you read this article, but everything in North Korea is about politics, even its own education.

Education is used to uphold socialistic conformity, and the country makes sure no one stands out, and never with true freedom of speech.

2. There are reeducation camps in North Korea

Not only are there education institutes like schools in North Korea, but there are also “reeducation” camps.

These camps are where prisoners go to perform hard labor. Whenever someone breaks the law, they are at risk of being sent to one of these horrible places.

3. North Korean reeducation camps are simply cruel

From people crossing borders to others causing slight disturbances, none of them wanted to be sent to a reeducation camp.

Prisoners are forced into severe circumstances like hunger, and rarely make it out alive. A North Korean denuclearization diplomat was recently sent there.

4. The North Korean education system violates international law

You probably already know it, but North Korea being a dictatorship is a huge issue regarding international law.

Because freedom of thought and expression is severely restricted in the country, the education system violates human rights. Obviously, North Korea rejects the United Nations and ignores their complaints.

5. Education is basically propaganda in North Korea

Believe it or not, North Korean students are being indoctrinated through their education as early as kindergarten.

The system as a whole is just a way of making sure everyone respects the law and devotes their life to the Supreme Leader.

6. The year is different in North Korea

If you go to a North Korean school and ask children what year it is, their answer will surprise you: for them, year 1 is the birth year of Kim Il-Sung, which is 1912.

A truly different way to talk about time.

7. North Korean classrooms decoration is… not very stylish

When it comes to decoration in North Korean classrooms, well, there simply isn’t any.

Every classroom in the country must have a picture of both Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il. This is a way to make sure that the “Eternal President of the Republic” stays alive in the minds of future generations.

8. The North Korean education system is not all about being loyal to the Supreme Leader… but also hating other countries

No one can deny it: education in North Korea is simply propaganda, with the goal to instill the utmost loyalty towards the Supreme Leader.

However, there is even more to that. The United Nations have reported that the program has another goal: instill hatred towards countries like the United States, South Korea and Japan.

9. Military service is compulsory for every North Korean aged 17

Both North Korean men and women, at the age of 17, are required to participate in military service. Men must serve 10 years, while women “only” 6 years.

Only exceptionally gifted students might be exempt from service as a whole.

10. Higher education in North Korea is not for everyone

Not only is the North Korean education system violating human rights like freedom of expression, but there is nothing like equality of opportunity when it comes to higher education.

Only students who come from royal families and have good grades can sit for entrance exams to the most prestigious tertiary education institutes of the country.

11. The North Korean curriculum is all about the Kim dynasty

The Kim dynasty is the first communist dynasty of the world. There are currently 3 Kims that controlled North Korea at one time: Kim Il-Sung, his son Kim Jong-Il, and his grandson and current Supreme Leader, Kim Jong-Un.

In school, students’ curriculum is focused on this dynasty.

12. Women’s education is very progressive in North Korea

Despite all the horrible things happening in North Korea, and the students having little to no freedom of thought, there are some progressive aspects, like calling for peace with South Korea and the United States, and women’s education.

Education is equally accessible to both men and women in the country, even at the secondary level and beyond.

13. The gender gap is still real in North Korean schools

Even though education is accessible to women, and even though North Korea did not officially release official information about the wage gap between men and women, the wage is usually fixed, making men earn more.

On top of that, women will very often quit their jobs after marriage.

14. Primary and secondary schooling is compulsory and free in North Korea

When it comes to compulsory education in North Korea, children must attend both primary and secondary schooling, and both of these are free.

There is also a year of kindergarten before primary school. On the whole, children go to school from the ages of 5 to 16, at least.

15. North Korea is one of the most literate countries in the world

These are North Korean numbers, so you never know if they are true or not, but the country stated that around 100 percent of its population aged 15 and beyond was literate.

This makes North Korea one of the most literate countries in the world!

16. The literature North Korean students can read is strictly censored

Books can change people, minds and even countries. Because of this, North Korea is strictly censoring all the literature that its students have access to.

The only books that are accessible are supporting the country, and sometimes show the failure of western politics.

17. North Korean women are a large part of the teachers

North Korean women are not exempt from propaganda and supporting the Supreme Leader: they are taught that their emancipation comes through labor, and through building a socialist country with their productive work.

They represent the vast majority of elementary teachers (80 percent), and a decent part of college professors as well (15 percent).

So there you have them, these were all my 17 interesting facts about North Korea schools. I hope you enjoyed them and that you learned something new today.

In case you want to learn more about the rest of the country, feel free to keep reading, as I still have lots of things to tell you about:

North Korean School Hours

Let’s keep going with our next part, dedicated to North Korean school hours. The typical school schedule in one country can often be very different from your own, and it’s always interesting to have more details on how students go on about their day.

North Korea Primary School Schedule

The North Korea education system uses a 1+4+6 model, with 1 year of kindergarten, 4 years of primary school and 6 years of secondary school. After that, they can pursue their studies at university.

Therefore, students must attend school for 11 years, starting at age 5.

The main subjects they study are music, art, math, the Korean language and social education.

North Korean High School Schedule

When it comes to secondary education of North Korea, it is made of two levels: lower level (for students aged 10 to 13) and upper level (for students aged 14 to 15).

After that, there is continued or academic education.

University lasts for 4 to 6 years depending on the program students are enrolling into.

General Facts About Schooling in North Korea

This last part is dedicated to general facts about schooling in North Korea. More specifically, we’ll check 2 key figures that will give you a better understanding of the education level in North Korea.

Enrollment in tertiary education for North Korea: 28.06%

(Average for regions: Sub-Saharan Africa: 8.6% | South Asia: 20.8% | Arab States: 36.4% | East Asia: 36.5% | Latin America: 43.3% | Europe and Central Asia: 62% | North America: 84%)

Data from World Bank EdStats/UNESCO

North Korea literacy rate: 100%

(Average for regions: Sub-Saharan Africa: 65.3% | South Asia: 72.9% | Arab States: 79.4% | Latin America: 93.7% | East Asia: 95.8% | Europe and Central Asia: 98.5%)

Data from World Bank EdStats/UNESCO

More Education Facts!

Do you want even more education facts about other countries?

Check out these facts:

• Education in South Korea
• Education in Japan
• Education in China

Or click here to see ALL the education facts up on the blog!

The Full List of 17 North Korean School Facts

1. Education in North Korea is political
2. There are reeducation camps in North Korea
3. North Korean reeducation camps are simply cruel
4. The North Korean education system violates international law
5. Education is basically propaganda in North Korea
6. The year is different in North Korea
7. North Korean classrooms decoration is… not very stylish
8. The North Korean education system is not all about being loyal to the Supreme Leader… but also hating other countries
9. Military service is compulsory for every North Korean aged 17
10. Higher education in North Korea is not for everyone
11. The North Korean curriculum is all about the Kim dynasty
12. Women’s education is very progressive in North Korea
13. The gender gap is still real in North Korean schools
14. Primary and secondary schooling is compulsory and free in North Korea
15. North Korea is one of the most literate countries in the world
16. The literature North Korean students can read is strictly censored
17. North Korean women are a large part of the teachers

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