In the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea April 1 is the day when the new school year begins. On the day, children in new school uniforms and with satchels on their shoulders are found in the streets and the wonderfully decorated schools are crowded with people.
What is most conspicuous is the first-year pupils of the primary schools who take the first step of school education.
Ro Ye Ryong has become a primary school girl after graduating from Kwanmun Kindergarten No. 3 in Rangnang District of the capital city Pyongyang. She has a lot of prides. She was good at hooping at the Grand Mass Gymnastics and Artistic Performance “The Glorious Country” held last year, winning great admiration of all people. She had an honor to present a bouquet to the respected Marshal Kim Jong Un on behalf of the entire performers.
She had more and more dreams with the day of the new school year nearing at hand. What to become; doctor, teacher or dancer?…
She waited for the day when the new school begins. On the day she went to school, wearing new school uniform and shouldering a new satchel. She entered the school amid congratulations of teachers and seniors, loudly singing songs together with their friends. “I am a primary school girl. I eagerly waited for the day. I will study hard and become an honor pupil.” Her mother Tong Sol Gyong says:
“Trying on her school uniform every day, my daughter often asked me when she would go to school. I thought a lot. In the world there are many children who cannot afford to go to school and many parents who are in distress because of money. In our country, however, children study without paying a penny under the state benefits. They are provided with school uniform, satchel, textbook and all other school things by the state. Thanks to such grateful socialist system, all the children across the country greet April 1 as a happy day.”
Ro Ye Ryong has not known yet what made her study to her heart’s content without any worry, but would know it later.