Summary of Key Points
A decline in the birth rate has directly impacted the kindergarten industry, leading to a significant reduction in the number of preschool teachers. This in turn has caused the preschool education major to become less attractive to students—many are choosing to switch majors, and universities have either stopped enrolling or discontinued this program altogether. In response to these changes, preschool education institutions are beginning to transform: some are expanding into non-teacher training areas such as intelligent manufacturing, while others are focusing on developing skills for the elderly care sector, moving from a single-focus on teacher training to more diversified development.
Detailed Analysis
1. A decrease of over 200,000 preschool teachers in one year
In 2025, the number of full-time preschool teachers nationwide decreased by 219,300 (from 2.83 million to 2.61 million). The fundamental reason is the decline in birth rates; with fewer children, kindergartens no longer require as many teachers. For example, a kindergarten that used to enroll 10 classes may now only need to enroll 5 classes, resulting in an oversupply of teachers who either have to switch careers or become unemployed.
2. The preschool education major becomes a “avoided zone” for students
Data from Zhaoqing University in 2026 shows that the largest number of students switched their majors to other fields (29 people), with some even willing to降 two levels in their academic program to do so. This indicates that students lack confidence in the prospects of the preschool education industry; with kindergartens reducing their staff, graduates may struggle to find stable jobs, prompting them to change their majors, even if it means delaying their studies by a year.
3. Universities stop enrolling or discontinue the preschool education major to avoid wasting resources
Many schools have decided to eliminate this program due to the declining demand for preschool teachers. For instance, Xi'an Academy of Fine Arts stopped enrolling students in preschool education in 2025, and Shanxi University of Electronic Science and Technology plans to discontinue it as well. The reason is that graduates may not be able to find jobs, making the program meaningless; it’s better to allocate resources to more in-demand fields.
4. Preschool education institutions are “crossing boundaries” for transformation
Some preschool teacher training colleges are expanding into new areas. For example, Zhumadian Preschool Education College is maintaining its core preschool education programs while also planning to introduce eight non-teacher training programs in drone technology and robotics. Hengyang Preschool Education College is even planning to transform into a Technical College of Metrology. In other words, they cannot rely solely on the preschool education sector for funding and need to find new sources of revenue.
5. Focusing on the elderly care sector: transforming teachers’ skills for new roles
Many preschool education institutions are recognizing the growing demand for elderly care services and are training professionals in this area. For instance, Guangzhou Preschool Education College has launched a program in smart and healthy elderly care, while Loudi Preschool Education College has established a similar program. Yancheng Preschool Education College has developed a comprehensive curriculum covering infant care (0-3 years) to elderly care services. The reason for this shift is that teachers’ skills (such as caring for people and communication abilities) are transferable to the elderly care industry, making the transition relatively easy and helping to fill the talent gap in this sector.
Overall, changes in birth rates have had a cascading effect on the kindergarten industry and preschool education programs, forcing schools to adapt their directions. The underlying reason is the shifting market demand, and all parties are responding accordingly.