October 1: School closures are being reported across several Asian and Eurasian countries, but the reasons are not the same everywhere. In some cases, closures are temporary responses to extreme weather and natural disasters, while in others they reflect longer-term demographic and administrative changes.
In China, schools in some areas have been temporarily closed because of severe weather and flooding. In September, authorities suspended classes in parts of Fujian and Guangdong as heavy rainfall associated with Typhoon Saudel created flooding risks. More than 2,500 teachers and students were also temporarily trapped at a school compound in Zhejiang during the flooding.
Russia, meanwhile, is experiencing a much more structural decline in the number of schools. A report cited by Euronews says Russia had fewer than 38,000 secondary schools in 2026, compared with about 68,800 in 2000. Rural areas have experienced the largest reductions, with demographic decline and per-pupil funding contributing to school mergers and closures.
In Japan, temporary school closures are frequently associated with extreme weather, including typhoons, flooding and landslide risks. During Typhoon Mekkhala in June, authorities issued evacuation warnings across parts of the country as heavy rain and strong winds affected southern and western regions.
South Korea faces a different long-term challenge: a rapidly declining birth rate and an ageing population. The country’s demographic changes are putting pressure on its education system, with fewer children in many communities potentially leading to school consolidation or closure. Carnegie Endowment research has highlighted South Korea’s rapidly falling birth rate and ageing population as major structural challenges.
The broader picture therefore varies considerably. Weather-related closures are generally temporary, while demographic trends can produce permanent changes to school networks. Across OECD education systems, the number of primary institutions declined modestly between 2015 and 2024, with countries adjusting school provision in response to changing student populations and other pressures.
