Zero new first-graders at rural school in Kaohsiung
Zero new first-graders at rural school in Kaohsiung
2024-08-29
Schools in rural Kaohsiung are struggling to attract students. One elementary school in rural Liouguei will be starting the new school year with no new first-graders. And several other schools in rural areas have just one or two new students. In sharp contrast, a school in the urban Aozihdi neighborhood has filled up 14 first-grade classes, with almost 400 new students.
This is Xinwei Elementary School in Kaohsiung’s Liouguei District. The classroom looks rather empty, as there are less than 10 students collecting their textbooks.
Chuang Shu-ting
FTV reporter
The first day back at school is usually a time for the new students to meet new friends. But at this school in Liouguei, there isn’t a single new student.
The school has a total of 29 students in six classes. Originally there was going to be a new student from Maolin, who would’ve been alone in class. In the end the student’s parents decided to pick a different school.
This year, only one new student has enrolled at Baoshan Elementary in Taoyuan and Muzha Elementary in Neimen. And only two students have started classes at Laonong Elementary in Liouguei and Shenshui Elementary in Yanchao. As student numbers dwindle, parents are worried about school closures.
Parent
I’m worried there’ll be fewer and fewer students. Without people living here, the school could close.
Parent
It’s how it is. Everyone is going away for work, and education in cities is better. We don’t have as many resources in the countryside.
Chen Yi-ting
Xinwei Elementary acting principal
Although we don’t have any new first-graders, we’re still going ahead with the class curriculum as planned. Our faculty will be teaching just as they did previously.
Over in the city it’s a different story. Longhua Elementary in Gushan has had to put a cap on enrollment. This year, the school has almost 14 first-grade classes totaling almost 400 students. The school principal says the figures reflect the high population density of the area, which has only continued to grow.
Lee Mei-chin
Longhua Elementary principal
Aozihdi is a neighborhood on the rise. So people from outside the district are all moving in here for the employment opportunities. The population is trending younger, and that means more new students.
The remaining students have been enrolled at other schools in the area. Still, the principal says that the number of extra students is decreasing by the year. A glance at classrooms shows that Taiwan’s falling birthrate is posing challenges to schools both in the city and in the countryside.
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兩樣情! 六龜區老校無新生 市區國小招滿14班
2024-08-29
明天就要開學，今天是很多學校的返校日，不過在高雄六龜區，一所百年老校新威國小，今年竟然沒有小一新生報到。另外，在高雄市區的龍華國小，住宅大樓林立，今年則維持招滿14班小一新生，校長就分析，應該和家長年輕化，就業都移動到市區有關。
這裡是高雄六龜區的新威國小，小朋友回學校領新書。但數一數，教室裡竟然坐不到10位學生。
[[民視記者 莊舒婷]]
“今天是學校的返校日，以往新生都會在這個時候來到學校認識新朋友，不過高雄六龜區這所國小，今年卻連一位新生都沒有。”
全校總共6個班，29位學生，原本有一名茂林區的新生想來就讀，但家長考量讓孩子獨學，沒有同儕共學，最後只好轉往其他學校就讀。
另外像是桃源區寶山國小、內門區木柵國小，都只有1名新生入學。六龜區荖濃國小、燕巢區深水國小，則有2名新生。學生數越來越少，也讓家長不免憂心學校的存廢問題。
[[家長]]
“擔心人數越來越少。這邊沒有人，就會學校就沒有了。”
[[家長]]
“沒有辦法啊，大家都外出(工作)啦，都市的教育比較好吧，鄉下的資源比較沒那麼多。”
[[新威國小代理校長 陳怡婷]]
“我們雖然沒有一年級，但是我們的課程進行，還是會按照我們的課程計畫，老師部份，我們會如常以往的上課方式去做進行。”
市區方面，鼓山區的龍華國小，入學新生則採總量管制，今年光是小一新生就招滿14班，近400位學生，校長分析，附近人口本來就多，和都市發展，息息相關。
[[龍華國小校長 李美金]]
“我們凹子底社區這邊就是一個新興的社區，所以外來的人口會往這裡來集中，因為是就業，所以跟著家長是年輕化，那麼就會有比較多的新生人口。”
超額的學生，會另外分發到鄰近學區。不過，校長也坦言，超額學生的確有逐年下降的趨勢，如何度過少子化衝擊，市區和鄉村學校都必須面對的課題。
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