"Sad to Have No Friends"… Freshman Attending 'Solo Entrance Ceremony'

School Closure Crisis Realized Amid Low Birthrate
Population Decline Expected to Worsen School Crisis

Amid a severe low birthrate trend, a 'solo entrance ceremony' was held at an elementary school with only one new student across the country. According to Yonhap News Agency, at around 10 a.m. on the 4th, only Kim Ryeowon (7), a first grader at Bugye Elementary School in Gunwi-gun, Gyeongbuk, enrolled. The total number of students at this school is only 40. Due to the decline in the school-age population, the number of students per grade had remained between 6 and 10, but this year, for the first time, the school accepted only one new student.

When Kim entered the entrance ceremony hall that day, the older students warmly welcomed the new student with loud applause. Kim's parent, Kim Hyuntae, said, "I am a bit worried because our child is enrolling alone," adding, "Since our home is right next to the school, she will attend for now, but we are planning to transfer her to another school because we think it would be better for her to be with friends." Kim said, "I was very excited to enter elementary school," and added, "It's a pity that I have no friends, but I want to get along well with the older students and enjoy school life." Kim will have classes one-on-one with her homeroom teacher. According to Daegu's multi-grade class standards, two combined classes must have five or fewer students. Kim Eunmi, a 34-year veteran teacher who will be the first-grade homeroom teacher, also mentioned that this is her first time teaching a single-grade class.

On the morning of the 4th, Kim Ryeowon (7), the only first-grade new student, is attending the entrance ceremony at Bugye Elementary School in Gunwi-gun, Daegu.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Teacher Kim said, "I am concerned about having to be both a teacher and a friend to the only student," but added, "I will help her experience and enjoy everything that students should during school life." Kim started adapting to school life by making a name label with her name on it and looking around the classroom supplies. Vice Principal Baek Jeongok said, "We used to have 5 to 6 new students at a time, so suddenly having only one makes us worry whether the class itself might disappear," but added, "There are schools with no new students at all, so having even one first grader is precious."

At the window of the first-grade classroom where the single-grade class is held, some students from the same school stood on tiptoes to see the only new student. The students who saw the new student showed care by saying things like "She's cute," "Her name is Ryeowon," and "I want to play with her soon." Jeong Yuwon, a sixth grader at the same school, said, "It's amazing that something I only saw on the news is happening at our school," and added, "I realized how serious the low birthrate problem is." She also said, "I will go greet Ryeowon and help her adapt well by playing together at the playground during lunch break."

23,707 Elementary Students in Gyeongnam Enroll Simultaneously... 25 Schools Have Zero New Students

Last year, the total fertility rate recorded an all-time low of 0.72, leading to an analysis that the crisis facing schools due to population decline is bound to worsen.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Last year, the total fertility rate hit a record low of 0.72, and analyses suggest that the crisis facing schools due to population decline will only deepen. On the 4th, the Gyeongnam Provincial Office of Education announced that 23,707 first graders enrolled simultaneously in elementary schools across the province. Among them, schools with zero new students were evenly distributed across 15 of the 18 cities and counties in the province, excluding Jinju, Sacheon, and Geochang. By region, there were 4 schools each in Uiryeong, Goseong, and Hapcheon; 2 in Changnyeong; and 1 each in Changwon, Tongyeong, Gimhae, Miryang, Geoje, Yangsan, Haman, Namhae, Hadong, Sancheong, and Hamyang, totaling 25 schools.

In Gyeongnam, the number of schools without new students over the past nine years was 4 in 2016, 10 in 2017, 7 in 2018, and 9 in both 2019 and 2020. After that, it was 13 in 2021, 11 the following year, and 18 last year, showing a growing trend of schools without new students. There are 22 schools holding 'solo entrance ceremonies' with only one new student. By region, there are 4 in Hapcheon; 3 each in Tongyeong and Sancheong; 2 each in Miryang, Goseong, and Hadong; and 1 each in Gimhae, Uiryeong, Haman, Changnyeong, Hamyang, and Geochang.

Not only in Gyeongnam but also nationwide, there are about 150 elementary schools that could not hold entrance ceremonies because they had no new students at all. Schools facing closure are distributing promotional flyers by visiting kindergartens, and education offices in each city and province are actively competing to attract students. However, since the birth population itself is declining, there are limits to attracting students through various incentives. Amid this, schools are increasingly facing the reality of worrying about their survival as they watch their student numbers dwindle.