Photo 'exposes' a crisis in Korea

A photo of a first grader entering school has made many people worried about the population situation in Korea in recent years.

On March 4, Jungang Elementary School (Gwangju, South Korea) held an opening ceremony for its students. However, sadly, only one first-grader attended the ceremony and the school principal, Mr. Bae Chang Ho, personally presented the student with school supplies as a welcome gift.

In the photo taken at the admission ceremony, the teacher was also seen instructing the student about the timetable for the new school year.

Jungang Elementary School is a large school that was founded in 1907. At one point, it had more than 5,000 students. However, the number of students at the school has gradually decreased because the old central area of ​​Gwangju Province has fewer and fewer people living there.

The number of school-age children is expected to increase by three in the second half of this year.

Currently, the school has 23 students, while the number of teachers is up to 18. The school has arranged a plan to teach some subjects together with other grades for these first graders to avoid isolation, as well as support scholarships of about 300,000 won (about 5 million VND) for new students.

The cause of this situation is the continuous decline in birth rates over the years and the great impact on schools.

According to data from the Ministry of Education, a total of 49 elementary, middle and high schools in 17 cities and provinces will close in 2025. Even Gyeonggi Province, the most populous province in South Korea, has seen schools close due to a lack of new students.

With 88% of schools expected to close by the end of 2025 located in rural areas, concerns are growing about the gap in school-age populations between Seoul and remote areas.

Source: News1

Pham Trang

Source: https://giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn/buc-anh-boc-tran-1-cuoc-khung-hoang-tai-han-quoc-172250305071702539.htm