Almost 50 schools across this Asian country to shut down amid worsening birth rate crisis
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The country closing 50 schools because of its birth rate crisis
- Nearly 50 schools in South Korea are closing in 2025 due to a declining student population, a consequence of the country's extremely low birth rate.
- The majority of closures are in rural areas, raising concerns about educational disparities between these regions and Seoul.
- South Korea's fertility rate has fallen below one child per woman, leading to a demographic crisis the government has labeled a "national emergency."
- Despite government incentives and policies to encourage births, the birth rate continues to decline, with experts predicting a potential halving of the population by 2100.
- The impact of the low birth rate is evident in the education system, with schools merging or closing and universities struggling with low enrollment.