North Korea establishes national distance education network

By Jin Jianyu

The People's Grand Study Hall, which serves as the national library in North Korea's capital, Pyongyang, announced that it has launched a national distance education network system – together with libraries and education institutions around the country – as part of its program of "education for all", according to a report on Tuesday of the Pyongyang-based Korean Central News Agency.

The network provides a two-way exchange platform, allowing people to communicate with teachers via video and audio links. The system can be accessed by internet users in North Korea, and it guarantees easy access to educational material saved in a databases.

"The network provides a convenient learning platform for the masses, especially for university students and technological staff members," said Zhou Zhiran, a Global Times reporter based in Pyongyang.

Researchers from both the People's Grand Study Hall and the National Academy of Sciences, worked together to develop the "North Korea style of distant education system", with the use of the optical fiber communication lines of the provincial, city and county libraries, said the Xinhua News Agency.

But Zhou Zhiran added that he thinks only a very small percentage of North Koreans have so far made use of the system. "Some may not even have heard of it," Zhou said.

But the reporter could not speak directly with the local residents to get their reactions, as an interview application must first be approved by the local government, which usually takes at least a week.

"This national distance education network could help speed up the science and technology education for the masses, especially for villagers, who are less-educated in technology applications," Wang Hongcai, an expert at the Institute of Education of Xiamen University, told the Global Times.

He added that China could perhaps also establish such a network to accelerate its goals for education.

But he also pointed out that such a method of study does not offer any sort of atmosphere of learning, and there can also be technological problems.

"This requires both cutting-edge technological support and good management," he said.