Suggested citations
AGLC4 | 교육법 2015 [Education Law of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (2015)] [tr Daye Gang].
Bluebook | Gyoyukbeob 2015 [Education Law of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (2015)] translated in Law and North Korea by Daye Gang, https://www.lawandnorthkorea.com/.
Adopted on July 14, Juche 88 (1999), as Directive No. 847 of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly
Amended and supplemented on December 13, Juche 94 (2005), as Directive No. 1437 of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly
Amended and supplemented on December 11, Juche 96 (2007), as Directive No. 2482 of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly
Amended and supplemented on September 12, Juche 102 (2013), as Directive No. 3355 of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly
Amended and supplemented on December 23, Juche 104 (2015), as Directive No. 848 of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly
CHAPTER I. BASICS OF EDUCATION LAW
Article 1 (Objectives of Education law)
Education is important work that decides the destiny of the country and the future fate of the people. The Education Law of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea shall strictly adopt systems and orders in education work to further develop socialist education and shall serve to raise experts who have an independent ideological consciousness and creative ability.
Article 2 (Principle of consolidation and development of socialist education system)
The socialist education system that has been established in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is the noble gains our people have accomplished in the struggle to construct a new society. The State shall further consolidate and ceaselessly develop the socialist education system.
Article 3 (Principle of embodying basic theories of socialist pedagogy)
Growing dependable experts with sound ideological consciousness, deep scientific and technical knowledge and solid stamina is the basic theory of socialist pedagogy. The State shall thoroughly embody the basic theory of socialist pedagogy in education work.
Article 4 (Principle of combining education and practice)
Combining education and practice is a compulsory requirement to raise experts that have both useful knowledge and practice ability. The State shall make education work conform to the developing requirements of reality and to people’s benefit and shall closely combine education with practice activities.
Article 5 (Principle of combining school education and social education)
School education and social education are the basic forms of education. The State shall start from the foundation of raising the decisive role of school education to strongly push social education.
Article 6 (Principle of educating brilliant minds)
Strengthening education of brilliant minds is an important requirement of socialist education. The State shall correctly adopt an education system for brilliant minds to smoothly assure education for students who have exceptional talent and abilities.
Article 7 (Principle of guaranteeing education work conditions)
Education work is the work of the whole State and the whole society. The State shall systematically extend investment in the education sector and smoothly guarantee education conditions to strengthen support for the education sector.
Article 8 (Principle of realization of making the whole of society intellectual)
Realizing the making of the whole of society intellectual is the prospective task of socialist education. The State shall further develop higher education systems that specialize in study and higher education systems for learning while working to realize making the whole of society intellectual and shall ensure that all people consistently educate themselves throughout their lives.
Article 9 (Principle of research on education science)
The State shall strengthen education science research in conformity with the requirements of developing reality to develop education theory and method and modernize education.
Article 10 (Principle of supporting democratic people’s education of overseas Koreans)
The State shall actively support the right to democratic people’s education of overseas Korean compatriots.
Article 11 (Exchange and cooperation in education field)
The State shall develop exchange and cooperation with other countries and international organizations in the education field.
CHAPTER II. UNIVERSAL FREE COMPULSORY EDUCATION SYSTEM
Article 12 (Duty to receive middle school general education, right to a free education)
Executing a universal free compulsory education system is a basic guarantee that allows the cultural and technical level of the whole of society to be raised. Citizens of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea have a duty to receive middle school general education and a right to receive free education.
Article 13 (Middle school general compulsory education system)
Citizens shall receive middle school general compulsory education for the period until they reach working age. The middle school general compulsory education system is 12 years.
Article 14 (Duty to attend school of a school-aged child)
Local political institutions and education institutions shall command and cause to attend school all children who have reached the age of receiving education in the relevant area, without exception. A parent or guardian bears the duty to guarantee the attendance at school of a child who has reached an age to receive education.
Article 15 (Compulsory middle school education for children in areas distant from residential areas and children with disability)
Local political institutions must take measures to assure the middle school compulsory education of children in very distant areas from residential areas, such as deep mountains or remote islands, and children with disability such as blind and deaf children.
Article 16 (Content of free education)
All education in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is free. Education institutions may not receive a fee from students or their parents or guardians related to admission, classes, practical training, field trips, or field investigations.
Article 17 (Scholarships)
The State shall give ordinary scholarships to certain students in universities of higher education systems specializing in study, schools in education systems for brilliant minds, and schools for blind and deaf children. Students who are especially outstanding in studies shall get special scholarships, students and doctoral students who have military service or similar experience shall get preferential scholarships, and students on learning while working shall get their current living expenses.
Article 18 (Guarantee of food, school supplies and daily necessities)
The State shall supply food required at each stage of education to students, and shall guarantee school supplies and daily necessities at a cheap price by compensation.
Soldiers disabled on duty and students without any other source of help shall be guaranteed school supplies and daily necessities without cost.
CHAPTER III. EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS AND EDUCATION WORKERS
Article 19 (Basic requirements to strongly manage education institutions and education workers)
Education institutions are the base for education work and education workers are in charge of education work. Education guidance institutions and relevant authorities shall produce different education institutions in conformity with the purposes of education and shall strongly manage a lineup of education workers to smoothly guarantee education work.
Article 20 (Classification of education institutions)
Education institutions are divided into school education institutions and social education institutions. School education institutions include primary schools, lower secondary schools, higher secondary schools, universities, doctoral schools and scientific research centres, and social education institutions include scientific and technical halls, study houses, libraries, children’s palaces, meeting halls, juvenile camps, and gyms.
Article 21 (Ranks and members of the body of education institutions)
Ranks and members of the body of education institutions shall be determined by taking into consideration the importance, scale, and number of education workers who have degrees or academic positions in the relevant authorities. The work of determining the rank and members of the body of education institutions shall be done by the central labour administration guidance institution.
Article 22 (Assignment of education institutions)
Central education guidance institutions, local political institutions, and relevant authorities shall take into consideration the demands for experts, the cultural development level of the region, the number of students and the conditions of the school commute, to rationally assign education institutions. Education institutions may not be assigned in areas that may cause interference with the education or social education, health, or growth of students.
Article 23 (Operating costs of education institutions)
Operating costs of education institutions shall be guaranteed by the budget of the State or organization. Education institutions must correctly implement financial budgets.
Article 24 (Duties of education institutions)
Education institutions shall regularize and standardize education administration work, manage the education environment in conformity with pedagogical requirements, and manage building and planning in a culturally hygienic way.
Article 25 (Education workers and their qualifications)
Education workers include teachers who do professorial work and workers who guide them. Education workers must have the relevant qualifications.
Article 26 (Professorial work)
Teachers must directly take charge of professorial work. In required cases, scientists, technical experts and professionals working in other sectors may also do professorial work.
Article 27 (Duty of education workers)
Education workers must have refined moral characters, high scientific and technical qualifications, and educational and practical qualifications, and must responsibly do professorial education work. The State shall preference and respect education workers in society.
CHAPTER IV. EDUCATIONAL CONTENT AND METHOD
Article 28 (Basic requirements to raise education levels)
Education content and method is the fundamental and main cause for regulating the nature and quality of education.
Education institutions shall correctly compose education content and apply superior education methods to ceaselessly raise education levels.
Article 29 (Political ideology education, scientific technique education, sport and artistic education)
Education institutions shall give sound ideology, morals and deep knowledge to students and shall prioritize political ideological education so they can bear solid stamina and full emotions, must deeply conduct scientific and technical education, and must combine sport and artistic education.
Article 30 (Professorial education method)
Education workers must use methods that realize professorial education to raise the independence and creative power of students. Education institutions must well combine and apply different methods that can raise the effectiveness of professorial education.
Article 31 (Improvement in education content and method)
Education institutions shall determine education content and method in conformity with the purpose of the education and nature of the subject, and must gradually deepen it in rising through higher education. Education science research institutions and education institutions must improve the content and method of education in conformity with the requirements of actual development.
Article 32 (Classification of educational doctrine)
The content and method of education shall be reflected in educational doctrine. Educational doctrine includes curriculum development and syllabi.
Article 33 (Drafting educational doctrine)
Educational doctrine shall be drafted by the central education guidance institution. However, educational doctrine for specialized departments and subjects of the higher education sector shall be drafted by the relevant education institution and receive the approval of the central education guidance institution or relevant central institution.
Article 34 (Deliberation on educational doctrine and textbooks)
The State shall maintain a non-standing deliberation commission at the central education guidance institution and relevant authorities to deliberate on educational doctrine and textbooks. Educational doctrines and textbooks may not be changed without the approval of the relevant deliberation commission.
Article 35 (Drafting teaching plans)
Teachers must draft teaching plans based on the educational doctrine of the subject they manage. The drafted teaching plan shall be completed by going through collective consultation.
Article 36 (Implementation of educational doctrine)
Education institutions must implement educational doctrines without fail. Teachers and students may not be mobilized for work that is not related to implementing educational doctrines without the approval of the relevant authorities.
CHAPTER V. GUARANTEE OF EDUCATION CONDITIONS
Article 38 (Basic requirements of guaranteeing teaching conditions)
Smoothly assuring education conditions is an important duty of the socialist State. Institutions, enterprises and organizations must assure that the conditions required for education work are correctly interconnected with the national economic plan.
Article 38 (Financial budget of education sector)
Financial banking institutions must draw up a financial budget for the education sector and responsibly assure it. The financial budget of the education sector may not be misused.
Article 39 (School construction and maintenance)
Relevant institutions, enterprises and organizations shall construct school buildings, laboratories and practical training bases according to a school construction and maintenance plan and must maintain them at the right time according to the cycle.
Article 40 (Production and supply of education materials)
Institutions, enterprises and organizations that produce and supply education materials must produce and supply things required for education work such as materials, experimental equipment, and teaching aid equipment in a planned way. Institutions, enterprises and organizations must send the required machine equipment and instruments for education work to the relevant education institutions.
Article 41 (Guarantee of textbooks, reference books, private lesson books, and educational video recordings)
Education guidance institutions must supply things such as textbooks, reference books, private lesson books, and educational video recordings before the new academic year starts. Institutions, enterprises and organizations must assure the production of educational books and resources for publishing at the right time.
Article 42 (Guarantee of conditions for practical training, field trips, field investigations)
Traffic conveyance institutions and relevant institutions, enterprises and organizations must preferentially assure conditions for practical training, field trips, and field investigations of students. Education institutions shall organize the practical training, field trips, and field investigations of students in a planned way and shall interconnect correctly with relevant institutions, enterprises and organizations.
Article 43 (Education institutions and community service facilities)
Local political institutions and relevant authorities must manage community service facilities required in an education institution such as dormitories, restaurants, and clinics. Education institutions that operate dormitories may also determine a rear base.
Article 44 (Sponsorship for education institutions)
The Cabinet and local political institutions may divide up sponsorship work to institutions, enterprises and organizations to strengthen the material and technical foundations of education institutions. Institutions, enterprises and organizations that have been divided sponsorship work must actively help the relevant education institution materially and with labour.
CHAPTER VI. GUIDANCE AND CONTROL OVER EDUCATION WORK
Article 45 (Basic requirements of guidance and control over education work)
Guidance and control over education work is an important guarantee to correctly execute socialist education. The State shall adopt a guidance system and strengthen control over education work in conformity with the requirements of actual development.
Article 46 (Guidance over education work)
Guidance over education work shall be done by the central education guidance institution and the relevant central institution under the standardized guidance of the Cabinet. The central education guidance institution and the relevant central institution shall properly discover the true state of education work and adopt measures, and must command the work of guaranteeing the material and technical means required in education work for the improvement of education content and method and training of education workers.
Article 47 (Duty of local political institutions)
Local political institutions must organize and guide the work of the organization, construction and maintenance of education institutions in the relevant area, the implementation of educational doctrine, and the training work for teachers and kindergarten teachers in the general education sector.
Article 48 (Student recruitment)
Central education guidance institutions, local political institutions and relevant education institutions must responsibly do student recruitment work. The recruitment of students in the higher education sector or education sector for brilliant minds shall be founded on ability.
Article 49 (Guidance over social education)
Local political institutions must organize and guide work to raise the educational role of social education facilities, teenagers’ private lesson education institutions, institutions, enterprises and organizations, and families.
Article 50 (Establishment of education sponsorship fund)
Central education guidance institutions may establish and operate an education sponsorship fund for education work. The education sponsorship fund shall accumulate and use things like cooperation funds or charitable funds and supplies from institutions, enterprises, organizations, citizens, overseas Koreans, international organizations, and charitable organizations of other countries.
Article 51 (Supervision and control over education work)
Supervision and control over education work shall be done by the education guidance institution and the given supervision and control institution. The education guidance institution and the given supervision and control institution shall properly supervise and control education work and the guarantee of education conditions.
Article 52 (Administrative or criminal liability)
Responsible workers of institutions, enterprises and organizations and individual citizens who cause grave consequences in education work by violating this law shall have administrative or criminal liability imposed depending on the gravity.
Last updated 28 July 2020