"Female Teachers Must Wear Skirts in Class"... Outrage Erupts Over Principal's Demand: What's Happening in North Korea?

Female teachers' attire crackdown during School Support Month
Changing clothes for rural mobilization... and too few changing spaces

In Hamhung, South Hamgyong Province, North Korea, female teachers have reportedly been instructed to wear skirts during classes for School Support Month. The stated aim is to ensure they look presentable to party officials and other visitors to schools. But teachers are increasingly frustrated because they have to change clothes whenever they are mobilized for rural work, while support for schools remains inadequate.

A classroom scene at an elementary school in North Korea. Screenshot from the Korean Central News Agency website.

Attire criticized during officials' visits... skirts required in class

Daily NK, a news outlet specializing in North Korea, reported recently, citing a source in South Hamgyong Province, that the Hamhung City Party Committee strongly reprimanded some schools early this month after female teachers taught classes wearing pants.

According to the source, a city party official who visited a school for School Support Month criticized the teachers' attire. At the time, the teachers were reportedly dressed in clothing close to workwear because they were due to be mobilized for rural work that afternoon.

Afterward, schools in Hamhung reportedly instructed female teachers to wear skirts during class. The reason given was that officials from institutions and enterprises supporting schools visit more frequently during School Support Month, so teachers standing at the front of the classroom should look presentable.

The principal of a senior middle school in Seongcheongang District reportedly urged female teachers, "Do they usually criticize you for wearing pants? Please wear skirts, at least while officials are coming and going."

Changing clothes before rural mobilization... no adequate changing space

The problem is that teachers have to go out for rural mobilization after classes and change back into pants. Teachers who live near the school reportedly go home during lunch to change, while those who live farther away bring a spare pair of pants.

However, the schools lack suitable changing spaces, causing continued inconvenience. Some teachers reportedly even make students wait outside the classroom while they change clothes.

School support falls short... "We'd be better off without it"

School Support Month is a program that encourages institutions and enterprises to visit designated schools and provide them with needed supplies. But complaints are emerging from the schools that the educational environment is hardly improving.

There are reports that educational equipment such as computers will be provided, but there have been no noticeable changes. In some cases, students are reportedly required to pay to repair broken desks and chairs. Some teachers criticized the program for focusing more on meeting visit targets than on providing meaningful support.

"Nothing actually helps the schools or students, yet teachers are being harassed over looking presentable. People are even saying, 'We'd be better off without this kind of month,'" a local source said. The source added that some people feel schools on the outskirts, which receive relatively few visits from officials, are better off.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.