(Yicai) Aug. 4 -- As China’s education sector feels the impact of the country’s declining birth rate, kindergartens and teacher training colleges specializing in early childhood have responded by diversifying into elderly care, a growing sector given the country’s rapidly aging population.

The number of kindergartens decreased by 21,400 last year, and the number of children enrolled in preschool education dropped by 3.58 million, according to figures released by the education ministry last month.

Meanwhile, official data also showed that as of the end of 2025, the population aged 60 and above had reached 323.4 million, or 23 percent of the total. And the number of people aged 65 and over totaled 223.7 million, making up 16 percent of the entire population.

Schools are having to adapt. One example is a kindergarten in the Tianqiao district of Jinan that has been around for more than 30 years. It is being transformed into the Sanjiaoxian Comprehensive Elderly Care Service Center. Once operational, the center will provide day care and short-term respite services for three local communities.

There is also growing demand for educational and cultural courses among the elderly, as the “silver economy” grows. Universities and other educational institutions are now seeking teachers for courses tailored for the elderly, in areas such as singing, calligraphy and dance, and newer areas like artificial intelligence, video production, and drone operation.

Teacher training colleges that have traditionally focused on early childhood education are also accelerating their efforts to develop talent relevant to the field of elderly services. Xuzhou Kindergarten Teachers College, for instance, now caters to two core areas: preschool education and health services management. The college offers a diverse range of programs, including language and culture, AI, international education, as well as arts and sports.

This April, Loudi Preschool Education College received approval to launch a practical teaching center in collaboration with Lianyuan Xiangzhong Health and Nursing Home. The center will offer courses including for smart health and elderly care services management, aimed at training specialized professionals for the elderly care industry.

Editor: Tom Litting