[Op-Ed] In the Age of Low Birth Rates, School Consolidation Is Urgent

Fiscal savings, normalization of curriculum operations, improved quality of instruction, and better educational environments are among the benefits

This year, the number of children eligible to enter elementary school in Seoul fell into the 50,000 range for the first time. As the school-age population declines sharply, debate over school consolidation is intensifying. Beyond simply reducing the number of classes, it will not be long before elementary, middle, and high schools are merged into single integrated schools. School consolidation includes not only mergers but also the relocation of newly established schools and integrated school operations.

What changes would school consolidation bring to our society?

First of all, I believe it would offer many advantages. School consolidation is necessary not only at the national level but also from the standpoint of individual students.

First, it can generate fiscal savings. Since 2018, the Gyeongbuk Office of Education has promoted schools of appropriate size and, as a result, received KRW 108 billion in incentives from the Ministry of Education. Namhae in South Gyeongsang Province and Gokseong in South Jeolla Province are cited as successful cases of consolidation, saving KRW 800 million and KRW 6.3 billion annually, respectively.

Second, it would normalize curriculum operations. At present, small schools inevitably rely on combined classes and teachers working outside their subject specialties, while students have limited opportunities to form peer groups and face constraints in character education, including the development of social skills and cooperation. If school consolidation increases the number of students per class, the academic atmosphere would become more vibrant, and it would also make it possible to operate diverse educational programs such as after-school programs and the departmentalized classroom system.

Third, the quality of instruction would improve. As school consolidation enhances schools’ competitiveness and strengthens teachers’ professionalism, the quality of education is expected to rise. By merging, multiple schools can benefit from economies of scale, and students can also take more in-depth classes in their areas of interest.

Fourth, the educational environment can be improved. If school consolidation is accompanied by the creation of educational facilities such as dormitories for students who must commute long distances, it would create an environment in which students can focus more fully on their studies. If the fiscal savings from consolidation are used to improve learning conditions, it would create a virtuous cycle. There would also be various ways to use the funds, such as building sports facilities for local residents in communities where schools are closed with the help of consolidation incentives.

At a rural school in Hwasun, South Jeolla Province, there is only a single graduate. To celebrate that one student’s graduation, nine teachers, the chair of the school management committee, and parents gathered in the library. The president and secretary-general of the alumni association also attended the ceremony, offering congratulations and a scholarship. But there was no friend beside the student in the graduation photo. Schools with more adults than children in need of education should now disappear.

School consolidation is essential both as a response to regional depopulation and to guarantee students’ right to education. Through school consolidation, society should reduce the nation’s fiscal burden and ensure that students receive a better education.

Yeonsu Choi, Intern Researcher, Center for Free Enterprise (CFE)

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Original title: [칼럼] 저출산 시대, 학교 통폐합이 시급하다

Author: Yeon-su Choi

Date: 2024-04-01

Source: https://www.cfe.org/bbs/bbsDetail.php?cid=free_opinion&idx=26543