General education system was put on a higher basis with the opening of over 100 technical senior middle schools.

In keeping with the enforcement of universal 12-year compulsory education, a nationwide training course was given to improve the qualification of teachers and most of schools across the country came to have multi-functional classrooms getting access to the state-run network.

A simultaneous test for evaluating students' ability with justice was applied in some regions this year and, on this basis, preparations have been intensified to enforce the simultaneous test in Pyongyang and several counties of each province next year.

And parks for children to educate them in traffic regulations were built in different parts of the country.

As part of the efforts to perfect the educational system in the field of higher education, the college of forest science came into being at Kim Il Sung University with its opening ceremony held in April.

Pyongyang University of Printing was promoted to Pyongyang University of Publishing and Printing and over 30 special schools were turned into vocational ones.

Sectional universities are pushing ahead with the academic integration on a high level through the state-run network, thus making it possible to improve the overall university education.

With the start of distance education in at least 20 subjects, universities are striving to put the distance education on a higher stage.

Kim Il Sung University improved the teaching of political and ideological subjects by adhering to the policy of the Workers' Party of Korea and encouraging theoretical explanation in plain language and generalized it throughout the country. It also gains momentum at all universities to put education on a practical, comprehensive, modern and IT basis.

Meanwhile, big efforts have been directed to creating and introducing effective and superior educational methods.

The international symposium held at Kim Il Sung University, the 3rd National Education and Science Seminar, the 18th national software exhibition of educational institutions and other seminars and exhibitions served as occasions to promote the education, scientific research and sci-tech exchange.