The first joint sports event of 10 small schools in Yeongdong, North Chungcheong Province, intensifying the decline in the school-age population.

[Anchor]
Due to the decrease in the school-age population due to the low birth rate, many elementary schools in Chungbuk have less than 60 students.

Small schools, which had not been able to dream of the sports day due to the lack of students, gathered to hold an autumn sports day.

I'm reporter Lee Wan-jong of HCN Chungbuk Broadcasting.

[Reporter]
With the sound of exciting music, the children chant slogans and move in perfect order.

My body doesn't follow me like I do, but I just enjoy this time of sweating with other school students.

[Hangil / 6th grade in Guryong Elementary School, Yeongdong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do: It was my first time to have a sports day like this, but it was nice to work out together.]

It is a joint sports day held by 10 elementary schools in Yeongdong-gun, and these schools are so-called small schools with no more than 60 students.

In the meantime, the number of students was too small to hold a sports day-like sports day, but the children experienced the first time in their lives to socialize with numerous peers, form a consensus, and compete.

[Cho Eun-young / Parents: I was very excited and worried because it was the first sports day for several schools, but the children were so happy and had fun that if there is a chance....]

[Park Su Yong / Teacher of Guryong Elementary School, Yeongdong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do: Regardless of winning or losing the game, it's a great experience for kids to do sports activities with other schools]

According to the Chungbuk Provincial Office of Education, 178 schools with less than 60 students in the province are small, nearly half of all schools.

In particular, Boeun, Okcheon, and Yeongdong are 80% small schools based on elementary schools, and these schools are unable to conduct some of the general curriculum.

This is why we are increasing the integrated curriculum centered on local education support offices.

We are concerned that we may no longer hear the laughter of children spreading at the sports day at a time when the school-age population is decreasing and leads to local extinction.

This is Lee Wan-jong from HCN News.