The number of China's elementary schools at the end of 2005 fell by 28,000 from the previous year to 366,200, due to the country's shrinking school-age population, a report issued by the Ministry of Education said recently.

 

Elementary school enrollment also decreased, according to the report on the development of China's education industry in 2005.

 

Statistics show that the elementary schools nationwide enrolled 16.7 million students in 2005, down 752,700 from the previous year.

 

Despite a slight cut of 1,271 in the number of junior high schools in 2005, the graduates from these schools number 21.2 million in 2005, an increase of 361,300 from the figure in 2004, the report said.

 

(Xinhua News Agency July 13, 2006)