Key facts
- Nearly 30,000 kindergartens and primary schools were closed in China in 2025.
- Kindergarten enrollment decreased by 3.58 million students, a 10% drop from the previous year.
- The number of primary schools decreased by approximately 8,000 in 2025.
- High school and university enrollment is expanding.
- Over 1 million master's and 100,000 doctoral degrees were awarded in 2025.
China's education system is undergoing a significant transformation due to a prolonged demographic slump, with nearly 30,000 kindergartens and primary schools closing in 2025. Data from the Ministry of Education reveals a sharp decline in early childhood and primary education enrollment, with kindergarten enrollment dropping by 3.58 million students, a 10% decrease year-on-year. The number of kindergartens fell by 21,400 to 231,900, and approximately 8,000 primary schools closed, leaving 128,300. This contraction is attributed to declining birth rates following the implementation of the two-child policy and a subsequent drop in births around 2020. In contrast, the higher education sector is expanding, with the gross enrollment rate reaching 61.3% across 3,167 institutions. In 2025, China saw over 1 million master's degree graduates and more than 100,000 doctoral graduates for the first time.