From Kids to Elder Care: China Schools Switch As Birth Rate Plummets
China’s plunging birth rate has closed thousands of schools across the country. Rather than close their doors, one school-turned-recreation center is focused on providing education to the elderly.
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00:00Empty desks and chairs at this kindergarten in northern China.
00:05A plummeting birth rate means there are not enough children to fill the classrooms.
00:10But just down the hallway, there is a new group of students.
00:17Instead of closing down the empty kindergarten, the school decided to change who they were
00:21educating.
00:22They set their sights on the city's growing elderly population and opened the Impressions
00:28of Youth Recreation Center.
00:30After the kindergarten is empty, how can I make good use of it?
00:37I am a person who loves to sing, dance, and play, so I used this space to make some adjustments
00:46and modifications.
00:47We will continue to do this old-age career.
00:51China's chronically low birth rate has hit schools hard.
00:54Nearly 15,000 kindergartens had to close last year.
00:58In contrast, the population of senior citizens grew by nearly 17 million.
01:06There are about 100 adult students at this recreation center, taking classes on music,
01:12dance, modeling, and other subjects, a chance to explore hobbies new and old.
01:18My students around me say that they want to get out of here.
01:23In the past, they used to dance in the square, or have fun at home.
01:27Now, there are more platforms for them, such as online classes, or universities related
01:34to the elderly.
01:35I think it brings them joy and happiness.
01:40The recreation center serves two purposes.
01:43It keeps the school's doors open, and provides opportunities for those who are retired to
01:48try something new.
01:50Some even come to fulfill dreams they had in their youth.
01:53For many students, the center has become an important part of their lives.
01:58I feel like I'm at home, daydreaming.
02:02One day, I just want to sleep.
02:06I just want to play with my phone.
02:09It's meaningless.
02:12I just want to retire.
02:15I want to go back to my youth, and go to university.
02:24China's population is expected to only grow older in the next decade.
02:29And catering to that population is estimated to be a trillion-dollar business.
02:34Rather than closing their doors, schools around the country are pivoting to elderly education,
02:39and giving new life in more ways than one.
02:43Justin Wu and Harrell Hughes for Taiwan Plus.