Education for the elderly in modern China: the main trends in the development of the industry

Abstract

Today's China is facing a very significant social challenge: it’s population is aging rapidly, with the number of older people over 65 doubling from 7% to almost 14% since the turn of the century, while the working-age population (1559 years), on the contrary, is declining, reaching 894 million in 2020. The age structure of the population has a direct impact on long-term economic development as economic growth is largely dependent on the quality of the labour force. A reduction in the working-age population will have a profound impact on future development. In addition to encouraging fertility (starting from 2021, families in China are allowed to have up to three children), experts also call for increased attention to the development of pension systems and social support for the elderly. Education for the elderly is becoming another important sector to which the country's authorities are paying increasing attention. According to the Opinion on Intensifying Work on Aging in a New Era, the development of education for older people is intended to promote more active social participation of older people and aims to help them find their role in society even after retirement. To date, the development of education for older people has still not been sufficiently evenly spread. All organizations involved in the 60+ education segment are in an active search for the best strategies, the most appropriate development models and the best training programs to meet market demands. It is clear that with the increasing pace of population aging, the authorities will have to better establish the whole system of social care for pensioners in general, and ensure the quality functioning of the education segment in particular.