The number of children enrolled in kindergartens has fallen over the past three years. - Photo: Getty Images via South China Morning Post
BEIJING (SCMP): The number of kindergartens in China dropped by more than five per cent last year in the latest indicator of the country’s falling birth rate.
In 2023 the number of kindergartens fell by 14,808 to 274,400 – the second consecutive annual decline – according to an annual report by the Ministry of Education.
Meanwhile, the number of children enrolled in kindergarten declined for a third consecutive year – dropping by 11.55 per cent, or 5.35 million, last year to 40.9 million, according to the report.
The number of primary schools also dropped by 5,645 to 143,500 in 2023, a 3.8 per cent fall.
The decline reflects a broader demographic shift in China – where both birth rates and total population continue to dwindle – posing a serious threat to future economic growth, which is already slowing.
Last year, China’s population dropped for the second year in a row, to 1.4 billion, a decline of over 2 million. Only nine million births were reported in China in 2023, the lowest figure since records started in 1949.
The fertility rate, reportedly under 1.0 in 2023, is far below the replacement level of 2.1.
As a result of declining birth rates, China last year conceded its long-held status as the most populous country to India, whose population has overtaken that of China's.
“Meanwhile, the burden of elder care is intensifying, all amid economic stagnation,” He Yafu, an independent demographer based in Guangdong province said.
“Kindergarten operators need to adjust strategically to meet new challenges, such as expanding early childhood education to include children under three and establishing an integrated care-education system.”
Last week, it was reported that China was launching a massive survey to explore public apprehensions about having children, amid the ongoing decline in the birthrate despite previous government initiatives to encourage larger families.
The study, which will involve 30,000 participants from 1,500 communities, aims to uncover the reasons behind this reluctance and inform policies to support fertility.
The survey is part of broader efforts to address demographic challenges, including the country’s ageing population and economic pressures, which have deterred families from having more children.
In response, officials are promoting marriage and shared parenting and are considering raising the retirement age to cope with a shrinking workforce.
Analysts believe that economic pressures and high living costs have deterred families from having children, with many kindergartens converting into elder care centres to meet the growing demand.
In fact, China faced a twin crisis. While on one hand the birth-rates and fertility rates dropped, there is also a sharp rise in the old age population.
China's population aged 60 years and above approached 300 million by the end of 2023. Projections suggest it will exceed 400 million by 2035 and reach 500 million by 2050, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported early this month.
An increasing number of kindergartens have been converted into care centres for senior citizens and many of their staff members have switched jobs to care for the elderly, according to a report.
The rising numbers of the Chinese elderly, who had to endure the strictly enforced decades old one-child policy are mostly dependent on state social security support putting pressure on the state finances amid the flagging economy.
Officials attribute China's serious demographic crisis to decades-old one-child policy which was scrapped in 2016 after which China permitted all couples to have two children.
As it failed to make an impact, China revised the population policy in 2021, allowing people to have three children in an attempt to address the reluctance of couples to have more kids due to mounting costs.
As the costs of pensions and geriatric care mounted, China last month raised the retirement age of men from 60 to 63 and for female office workers from 55 to 58 years.
The burden of elder care is intensifying, all amid economic stagnation, said He added.
"Kindergarten operators need to adjust strategically to meet new challenges, such as expanding early childhood education to include children under three and establishing an integrated care-education system," He told the Post.
National Health Commission data from 2021 showed that more than 30 per cent of Chinese families with infants and toddlers in China need child care, but only 5.5 per cent have enrolled their children in nurseries or pre-kindergartens.
So in short, China now wants to make it easier to marry, harder to divorce amid shrinking and ageing population. - South China Morning Post
