Pyongyang International Football School opened on May 31.
A modern base for the training of young football players built in an area of 10 000 square metres on Rungna Islet to blend in well with its beautiful scenery, the school has buildings for education, a dormitory and cultural and welfare facilities and a playground.
It can accommodate some 200 students. It plans to fill it to capacity as soon as possible.
Students for the special football school are selected from schoolchildren’s sports and ordinary schools in provinces, cities and counties throughout the country.
The school gives education in three divisions: 5-year primary schooling, 3-year junior secondary education and another 3 years of senior secondary school division, the same as in the new 12-year compulsory education except pre-schooling. Ri Yu Il, Pak Kyong Bong and other teachers, some of whom qualified as class-A coaches from the FIFA, were selected from the central sports teams and schoolchildren’s sports schools.
School subjects include Korean language, mathematics, computer, foreign language and other basic subjects together with those on soccer. Music, drawing, handicraft and other art subjects are also included in those for pupils in primary schooling division.
Primary schoolchildren mostly train to get ball sensibility while the students in junior secondary school division learn and practise high dribbling skills, teamwork, passing and response, passing and support and movements in each position. Students of the senior secondary division play games very often to enhance their awareness of matches through practice.
The school focuses on teaching basic movements and skills like low and quick pass and kicking of high passing balls in order to overcome the common defects of professional football players in the basic education of students.
Students can learn from basic technical education and training methods conducted at foreign football schools and soccer-related information through LED TVs installed in classrooms, dormitory and corridors.
Aptitude test is run every quarter. New football prodigies are found and admitted.
The school also plans to invite renowned foreign experts and coaches to improve skills of the students and admit foreign students.
