Pyongyang, Covid-19: 'home' schooling for primary school pupils

The capital’s teachers visit their students every three days. Lessons on TV or online for middle and high schools. It is not known whether these measures are also applied outside the city. Zero cases of contagion for the authorities, but the province of Chagang, on the border with China, is in full lockdown.


Seoul (AsiaNews) - Home schooling for elementary school children is the latest anti-coronavirus measure to be applied by Pyongyang. Yonhap reported the decision today citing Uriminzokkiri, the propaganda website of the Kim Jong-un regime.

The North Korean authorities claim that there are no cases of Covid-19 contagion in the country. However, since the outbreak of the global health emergency at the beginning of the year, they have adopted numerous preventive measures. In addition to closing the borders - including with China, his only trading partner - Kim has ordered compulsory holidays for students of all ages.

In the capital, primary school teachers visit their pupils every three days for “home” schooling. According to the state agency KCNA, middle and high school students can access educational material through TV channels or the web. The regime's media do not specify whether these educational support measures are also applied far from Pyongyang.

The government's goal is to limit contact between the population as much as possible. According to Daily NK, authorities are also tightening border control measures. For example, they have imposed a full lockdown on the entire province of Chagang, on the border with China.