Recently, in Yingkou, Liaoning Province, a primary school with a history of 60 years closed its doors just over a month after the start of the new school year due to insufficient enrollment.
On October 10th, a netizen named “Seeing Through Everything” posted a video claiming that Shenjingzi Primary School in Baoyuquan District, Yingkou City, had shut down after the end of the National Day holiday, which was only a little over a month after the start of the school year in September. The video footage showed the gate of Shenjingzi Primary School tightly shut, with a sign hanging that read “Branch School of Shenjingzi Primary School in Baoyuquan District, Yingkou City”.
According to the netizen, the school used to be “glorious” in Baoyuquan, but this year it has taken a turn for the worse.
Following this, the netizen mentioned in a subsequent video that many people were concerned about where the students had gone. In the video, he responded that these children had all transferred to Huaihe Road Primary School.
He further stated that he was not targeting any individual or group but simply pointing out the current social phenomenon. In small places like Baoyuquan, where the economy is not doing well and there are fewer people, coupled with the outflow of residents, students naturally decrease. He clarified that he had no ill intentions towards any leaders mentioned.
Many netizens left comments in the video area, such as “People are moving south, and a new school, Moon Lake Primary School, has been built in the south.” “The new school needs staff.” “Mainly, this school didn’t have many students.” “Northeastern primary schools are declining!” “People are not getting married and having children.” “The number of children in the Northeast is decreasing.” “Only the elderly remain.” “In the future, school district housing will no longer be important.”
In response, a staff member from Shenjingzi Primary School told Jiemu News that the school had indeed merged with Huaihe Road Primary School and had also conducted autumn enrollment in September this year. For specific information, inquiries could be made to the Education Bureau.
An employee from the Education Bureau of Baoyuquan District stated that Shenjingzi Primary School is a public school that has now closed and merged with Huaihe Road Primary School. “With the decrease in school-age children and a smaller student population, the schools naturally merged.”
Reportedly, Shenjingzi Primary School was established in 1964 and was situated at the foot of the picturesque Qinglongshan Park, occupying an area of nearly 20,000 square meters, with a capacity for 18 teaching classes before the merger, and had 18 full-time teachers.