Low birth rates have left two elementary schools in Gwangju with no new first graders this year, extending enrollment decline from rural areas into the city. In Jeonnam, 45 elementary schools, including temporarily closed schools, had no new entrants, the highest number in the country, while 10 local schools closed last year and cumulative closures are estimated to exceed 800.
Authorities say very small enrollments can limit curriculum variety and peer relationships, but consolidation can lengthen commutes, trigger parental opposition, widen educational gaps and hollow out communities. Education authorities are pursuing school-specific programs and support for small schools alongside possible size adjustments rather than applying uniform closures, while earlier consolidation efforts stalled amid local disagreement.