Rural School Reorganization in Response to Demographic Changes in the New Era: Practical Challenges and Optimization Pathways

DOI: https://doi.org/10.62517/jmsd.202512518

Author(s)

Song Shengtao1,2,*, Chen Gong2

Affiliation(s)

1Center for Labor Education Research, Chongqing Preschool Teachers College, Chongqing, China 2Institute of Population Research, Peking University, Beijing, China *Corresponding Author

Abstract

From the strategic perspective of building China into an educational powerhouse and promoting high-quality population development, this study adopts an interdisciplinary research paradigm that integrates philosophy, demography, and education to systematically examine the historical logic and contemporary drivers of rural school restructuring. The findings indicate that the relatively weak operational capacity of rural schools constrains both rural population development and the provision of high-quality education. The governance capacity of rural schools requires improvement to support the comprehensive and balanced physical and mental development of rural school-age children. In addition, insufficient resource allocation significantly impedes the normal operation and sustainable development of rural schools. Based on these findings, the study recommends: strengthening resource allocation to improve the educational quality and teaching standards of rural schools; analyzing trends in the rural school-age population to promote a differentiated and appropriately scaled rural school supply system; and refining standards for rural school layout adjustments while standardizing merger procedures and enhancing supporting safeguards.

Keywords

High-Quality Population Development; Chinese Modernization; Rural Schools; Layout Adjustment

References

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