New elementary school enrollment to drop below 300,000 for 1st time amid low birth rate
The number of children entering elementary schools in Korea is expected to fall below 300,000 for the first time next year amid the country's low birth rate, data showed Sunday. The number of first graders, born in 2020, entering elementary school for the 2027 academic year, is expected to fall short of 300,000, just three years after dropping below the 400,000 mark, according to data compiled by…
Korea's birth rate is falling, leading to predictions that the number of elementary school students will drop below 300,000 for the first time in 2027. This is a significant decrease from the 301,442 students who enrolled this year, which is the lowest level since 1964. The decline is attributed to only 272,337 babies being born in 2020, a 10% decrease from the previous year.
With the school-age population expected to shrink to about one-fourth of the 1.05 million recorded in 1968, there are concerns about school closures, particularly in rural areas, and an increasing education gap.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
