The teachers and lecturers are in direct charge of education, and school education is conducted by the interaction between teachers and students through the teaching and guidance of the former. That is why training the ranks and improving their educational qualifications and competence are core issues of determining the success of educational work.
In terms of education, teachers play a particularly important role.
However, it is labor-consuming and hard work to build up the ranks.
Teacher-training itself requires a certain period of time, and in order to keep up with the demand for education, it is necessary not only to increase investment but also to give prominence to the teachers and build up conditions and environment for their superiority in the whole country and society.
The number of students per teacher affects the social demand for latter to some extent.
The criteria mentioned above vary according to the type of teaching, learning, etc. It is because the content and type of education make difference according to the stage, and psychological awareness and cognitive abilities of students vary according to their age.
Only when the number of students per teacher is reasonably guaranteed can the conditions favorable for properly combining the process of developing the creative abilities of the students together with the knowledge teaching in education be provided and contribute to achieving educational goals.
Therefore, the number of students per teacher is regarded as one of the indicators showing the educational level of the country.
Today, in many countries, shortage of teachers, especially in elementary education, raise serious social problems including a decline in the quality of education following a steady increase in the number of students per teacher. However, contrary facts can be found anywhere in education system of Korea.
Chairman
"A school is built for a few children on a small islet and a school train runs for a dozen pupils in a mountainous village in our country."
Let us take some schools built in the mountainous areas of Samsu County, Ryanggang Province and on the islands of the East and West Sea of Korea, for example.
Some school branches have been built in Sokgol-ri, Kaeunsong-ri, Sinhoe-ri and other timber workteam villages in Samsu County, Ryanggang Province decades ago only for few children, and they are learning to their hearts' content under the benefits of the socialist education system.
In a village, tens of kilometres away from the seat of Sokgol-ri, there is Kwandong Branch under Sokgol Senior Middle School. At present, 18 students are studying in the branch, and they are all sons and daughters of timber workers. There are seven teachers for these pupils.
The country established a branch in the village and deployed two teachers, and as the children grew up and the village expanded, the branch further extended. It was furnished with more laboratories including the physical lab, chemical lab, as well as playground and sports equipment, and the number of teachers increased to seven.
7 teachers for 18 pupils means that there is more than one for every three.
As the name suggests, Kaeunsong means cloud is open and it is nearly 2000 metres above the sea level. In the village, too, there is Ryongbokdong Branch (primary) and Iljabong Branch (primary) and more than two teachers have been deployed for less than 10 in each branch. Among them, some are devoting themselves for decades to few pupils.
In the village of Hoegol, about 8 kilometres from the seat of Sinhoe-ri, the country established a branch (primary) in the early 1970s and deployed three teachers. Subsequently, as the pupils went on to the middle school, the branch was built better and nine more teachers were deployed according to the subjects learnt. At that time, there were 23 pupils and 12 teachers, which means more than one teacher was assigned to two students.
It hasn't just been limited to mountainous areas.
Schools can be found on any islands where there are children of school age in the East and West Sea of Korea.
On Rap Islet, a remote island in the West Sea, far from land, there is a school and a teacher only for one pupil.
It is just Rapdo Branch, Primary School under Sinuiju Teachers' Training College.
When a lighthouse was built on the islet, which was originally uninhabited, and people began to live, the country built a branch for their children. The number of pupils were only three when it first opened, and only one, An Chung Guk, studied in Juche103(2014). Until now, a sincere educator, In Jong Sun, has been teaching at the school for nearly 30 years.
How warm and ardent love, how profound and affectionate embrace they are taken into even on a remote island.
Every year, planes carry various kinds of confectionery by air, ships carry fresh fruits by sea and senior officials of the central and provincial governments come with new uniforms and stationery.
Such scenes remained unchanged even there were 3 or 1. Although few pupils are studying, the branch has sufficient conditions for teaching including classrooms, nature observation rooms, various kinds of sports equipment and musical instruments.
On Al Islet, a lighthouse on the coast of the Rason in the northern tip of the East Sea, there is Alsom Branch under Sonbong Primary School with a teacher and furnished with a computer and other educational facilities for only one pupil.
This branch has been established by the Party officials of the Central Committee Chairman
Also on Yang Islet, a small village on the coast of the Hwadae County of the East Sea, there is Yangdo Branch under Sapho Primary School, Hwadae County.
In Juche106 (2017), there was a teacher and two pupils in the branch. Although it was on a remote island marked as a dot on the map, the bells of learning are resounding every morning. In June, Juche101(2012), one union member of the branch with only three pupils, took part in the celebration ceremony of Korean Children's Union founding and had the honor of standing on the platform of the National Allied Conference of the KCU held in the presence of the respected Comrade
As shown, schools are situated in different parts of the country, ranging from urban to mountainous areas and islands, and in towns from block to block, in the countryside from ri to ri, teaching all school-age children. In particular, considering nearly 80 percent of the territories are mountainous and many islands, thousands of branches have been set up in mountainous areas and islands. Among them, some are for only three or four, even for one as seen above.
Seven teachers for eighteen pupils, one for two and a branch for one!
This is one of the many facts showing the superiority and true appearance of the socialist education system of Juche Korea which regards the education of bringing up the younger generation as the most important state affairs and spares nothing for them. It is the unique and solemn reality of the DPRK that a student is not going to teachers and school, but teachers and school visit students. Such facts can neither be found nor imitated in any countries in the world.
This year alone, true to the noble intention of the WPK, which spares nothing for the younger generations, South Hwanghae Province set up a branch (primary) of the Ungchon Senior Middle School in Pongchon County, as commuting distance increased due to the construction of the waterway, and built a commuter boat for the junior and senior pupils. And many graduates of universities of education and teachers' training colleges across the country are making firm decisions to devote their lives to the education of the rising generations in mountains and villages, leaving their home with the capital and dear parents.
The respected General Secretary gives top priority to education, regarding it as the future of our State and socialism and far-reaching work for country revolution.
This is just brilliant fruition of the idea of him giving importance to education and priority to talents and his wise leadership.
Indeed, socialism of Korea is one for people and where the sons and daughters of the working people are supported as kings of the country. That is why the Korean people love and value the socialism regarding it as their life.
