Pingtung High Schools Face Enrollment Crisis as Less Than 50% Apply for Open Spots

Pingtung County's high schools and vocational schools are grappling with a severe enrollment shortage, with less than half of the available spots filled through the non-exam admission process. Out of 5,028 spots offered across 18 institutions, only 2,449 students applied, signaling a growing crisis for the region's educational institutions.

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The current admission channels are diverse, and in the context of diversified enrollment, many junior high graduates have already been admitted through channels such as skill excellence selection, direct enrollment, and completely free admission, leading to a decrease in the number of applicants for non-exam admission.

The Pingtung County Education Department attributes the decline to a multifaceted issue. A primary factor is the declining birth rate, which has led to a shrinking pool of junior high graduates. Compounding this is the increasing diversification of admission pathways. Many students are already securing places through early admission schemes like the "skill excellence selection," direct enrollment, and "completely free admission" programs, leaving fewer students to pursue the standard non-exam route.

Beyond demographic shifts and multiple admission channels, Pingtung also faces the challenge of student outflow to other counties for higher education. To combat this, the county government is implementing scholarship programs to incentivize students to remain within the county for their high school education. These scholarships are available to students attending county-run high schools and those from disadvantaged or academically strong backgrounds who meet specific performance criteria.

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The declining birth rate is a severe test, and Pingtung County also faces the problem of students flowing to other counties for further education.

The low application numbers have heightened the sense of urgency among schools, particularly private institutions, as the official results are due on July 7. The Education Department plans to collaborate with schools to review enrollment quotas and support the development of specialized programs and vocational training. Efforts will also focus on strengthening career guidance in junior high schools to encourage more students to pursue local educational opportunities, ensuring both educational quality and the sustainable development of the schools.

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We will continue to cooperate with high schools and vocational schools to dynamically review enrollment quotas and assist schools in developing characteristic courses and vocational education.