culture

A class of disabled children has been added to a kindergarten where normal children study on the occasion of the new school year.

Hwawon Kindergarten No. 2 in Hwasong District was chosen as the model unit.

An official of the Ministry of Education said that the ministry is establishing a new system of education support for disabled persons as the Eleventh Plenary Meeting of the Eighth Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea stressed the need to establish a nationwide system of supporting the education of the disabled, adding that it would be a good experience to run the class of children with hearing impairment as an example at Hwawon Kindergarten No. 2 in Hwasong District.

Three kindergarten teachers and a doctor were appointed to the kindergarten for the education and healthcare of hearing-impaired children and they are fully provided with sign language teaching materials, multimedia presentations, teaching aids and toys needed for the implementation of the curriculum.

The first lesson for hearing-impaired children from several districts in Pyongyang took place at the kindergarten on April 1 amid the concern of relevant officials and educators.

The parents of the disabled children were deeply impressed with the fact that excellent educational conditions and environment have been provided to enhance the intellectual levels and emotional states of their children.

The children are receiving education in sign language, the arts and extracurricular life there.

“It is much more difficult to teach the children with hearing impairment than normal ones. But we are devoting all our efforts and zeal to bringing them up to be bright, cheerful and optimistic just like normal children,” said kindergarten teacher Pak Sun Yong.

Jang Mi, mother of hearing-impaired Kim Jang Un, said with pleasure that it has been nearly a month since her son started attending the kindergarten and she could notice a change in his expression of emotions towards the parents.

The disabled children are living in the weekly kindergarten class where all conditions for their life are fully provided and a commuter bus carries them to and from their homes along with their parents.