Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, visited the April 25 Hostel on August 16 to learn about the preparations for the education of pupils from the flood-hit areas. 

 He was accompanied by Jo Yong Won, Pak Jong Chon and Pak Thae Song, secretaries of the Central Committee of the WPK, and Ju Chang Il and Han Kwang Sang, department directors of the Central Committee of the WPK. 

 According to the arrangement by the WPK Central Committee, some rooms in the April 25 Hostel have been turned into temporary classrooms for those pupils, a mobile educational group comprising teachers of preschool educational institutions, primary and middle schools in Pyongyang was formed, and preparations for new-term teaching are being made in real earnest. 

 The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un arrived at the April 25 Hostel and watched a demonstration lesson for a class of primary school pupils, which was organized as part of the preparations for new-term teaching of the pupils. 

 He acquainted himself in detail with the provision of educational equipment and school fixtures and saw school things for the pupils. 

 Watching with a broad smile on his face the pupils from various regions, who were engrossed in class, he said that he was proud that the Party Central Committee had made a prompt and correct decision to take measures for provisional education of children and pupils from the flood-hit areas and enforced it, and that we had taken very important steps even during the rehabilitation project in order to give the field of education and the whole society once again a correct understanding of the importance of the education of the rising generation. 

 Looking round temporary classrooms for junior and senior middle school pupils in the hostel, he earnestly called for paying special attention and sincerity to the pupils so that they can attend to their studies with diligence as all of them, who are to study there are children the people in the flood-hit areas left in the care of the Party and the government, placing their wholehearted trust in them. 

 Then he talked with the accompanying officials about the development of the country’s education. 

 The qualifications of teachers decide the quality of education, the proper growth of students is achieved according to the quality of education, and this is directly related to the advance speed and prospects of the country, he noted, adding that a radical improvement in education is, in essence, a radical improvement in teachers’ qualifications and a basic issue arising in giving full play to the advantages of the Korean-style educational policy. And he stressed the need to conduct a dynamic nationwide campaign to raise the qualifications of teachers of schools and kindergartens and thus firmly guarantee the eternal prosperity of the country. 

 It is the steadfast goal and invariable will of the Party to turn the country into a developed country in education, a talent power, that grows prosperous and strong by dint of education, he said, adding that everyone should always make painstaking and consistent efforts for the development of education and that the trait of attaching importance to education and actively supporting it by the entire Party, state and society should be developed into part of the national traits peculiar to our state.

 He said that education is an important undertaking for ensuring steady continuity of the generations of the Korean revolution and promoting the development of the country, stressing once again that the development of the country and the future of the revolution depends on how the younger generation is educated, so the Party and the government should not neglect the education of the rising generation even for a moment, no matter how difficult it may be. He continued that the Party would discuss the important issues arising in further consolidating the material and technical foundations of the educational field and putting the overall educational work on a new high and take strong measures to this end.

 At a resting site at the hostel he met the schoolchildren from the flood-hit areas, who were provided with the new school uniforms and school things.

 He helped them shoulder their schoolbags, and said with satisfaction that in new school uniforms they all look smart, and that their mothers who came up to Pyongyang with them would feel pleased. Then, he earnestly requested the schoolchildren to study harder and train themselves to bring delight to their families and country.

 He stressed the need to make the children study well during the recovery from flood damage and properly arrange diverse schedules for experiencing so that they can bring back the days of their stay in Pyongyang as unforgettable and pleasant memories all their life.

 He said he was very pleased to see the cheerful children in new school uniforms, adding that the children’s laughter is the dynamic breath and vibrant spirit of the advancing country and a symbol of the mightiness of the Korean-style socialism. He wished them a happy future. 

 Thanks to the benevolent care of the great father, who cherishes the absolute creed that he should pick even a star from heaven for the younger generation, only a happy smile will always spread on the faces of the children and the bell of learning to bring up the future of the prosperous country will resound far and wide on this land.