173overall decline was over 60 %. The pattern of enrolment by grade changed to
reflect the falling numbers and reductions in drop out. In Huaziping the high drop
out that existed in 1990 disappeared as the numbers enrolled fell and the enrol-
ments in higher grades began to exceed those in grade 1 (Fig. 8.5). There remained
about 10 % more boys enrolled than girls.
Though overall enrolments were falling the small school merger programme
allowed the central primary school to remain about the same size. The proportion
of all enrolments in the Central school increased as the total enrolled reduced. At
the same time the flow of students improved with fewer over age children enrolled
in school. Nevertheless it was still true that about 15 % of children in school were
older than 12 years old in 2008 compared to over 30 % in 2000.
In contrast in Yanhewan Central school enrolments fell during the 2000s. Here
enrolments declined through the 2000s as they did in the district as a whole. The
complete and incomplete schools began to become so small they were not viable.
Chafeng complete school shrank from 233 students in 2000 to only 62 by 2008. At
Figure 8.4 Population growth in Huaziping and Yanhewan
Figure 8.5 Enrolment by grade in Huaziping
in Huaziping
8.3 Demographic Changes and Falling Numbers ...