The “Key Schools Funnel,” where nearly 70–80% of educational resources are concentrated in a small group of elite institutions, has intensified academic competition and significantly increased the cost and pressure of child-rearing in China. This high-stakes education system is viewed as one of the structural reasons discouraging families from having more children.
China’s birth rate has fallen to a record low of 5.63 births per 1,000 people in 2025, marking four consecutive years of population decline despite the rollback of the One-Child Policy in 2016. The country now faces a demographic “death spiral,” characterised by rapid ageing and shrinking workforce numbers.
The earlier policy created a “4-2-1” family structure, increasing economic and caregiving burdens on the younger generation, while rising housing, education, and healthcare costs have reduced both the ability and willingness to raise children.
APSC Relevance:
Relevant for World Demography, population transition, ageing societies, and socio-economic impacts of education systems.
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