School attendance is improving across Kimchaek city after authorities eased longstanding facility repair fee burdens. A source in North Hamgyong province told a regional outlet the shift is already yielding results. Consequently, this policy change reflects broader efforts to address enrollment decline linked to financial strain.
Indeed, every school in Kimchaek now has an assigned factory or enterprise handling facility repairs directly. This support system covers elementary schools alongside both levels of middle school citywide. For years, schools routinely passed costs onto families for whitewashing, desk repairs and cleaning supplies. Consequently, these persistent demands frustrated parents, prompting some families to stop sending children entirely.
Furthermore, homeroom teachers earned an unflattering nickname due to their constant fee collection duties. According to the source, families with the least money often withdrew their children altogether. Therefore, this declining school attendance became a serious concern for local officials over time.
In response, Kimchaek city leaned on Workers’ Party policy framing education as a shared societal responsibility. Officials began urging even childless residents to contribute toward supporting local schools financially. Additionally, factories and enterprises received directives to actively improve conditions at assigned schools. This approach appears rooted in North Korea’s revised Education Sponsorship Act from last year.
That law requires central authorities to assign sponsoring organizations responsible for tracking school conditions continuously. Notably, junior and senior middle schools often share buildings in Kimchaek, simplifying repair coordination. From late June through early July, sponsoring organizations completed extensive repairs before the rainy season. Workers painted classrooms, fixed windows and repaired leaking ceilings and drainage systems throughout the city.
According to the source, parents now feel significant relief since factories cover expenses previously demanded from them. As financial burdens eased, more families gradually began sending children back to school. Ultimately, this improved school attendance demonstrates how policy shifts can meaningfully ease household financial pressures. Going forward, other regions may look to Kimchaek’s approach as a potential model.
