Faced with a significant drop in primary school enrollment, various Chinese regions are restructuring their educational systems. Authorities are introducing "tidal schools" capable of adjusting capacity based on fluctuating student numbers and merging primary and secondary levels. Cities like Yiwu and Xiamen have already launched institutions with flexible facilities to optimize space. Simultaneously, educational departments are reassigning teachers across different grade levels to address staffing imbalances, a move that has sparked public debate regarding teaching quality and professional standards. While local governments emphasize cost-efficiency and land conservation, experts warn that these shifts might hinder the progress of small-class teaching reforms. Critics argue that standardized staffing logic fails to account for the specific needs of students and teachers, urging for better certification and training protocols to manage the transition effectively as the national student population continues to decline.
Source : [Sixth Tone](https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1018986/China Gives Schools More Flexibility as Enrollment Shrinks)
Photo : Sixth Tone
