SOLUTION FOR DECREASING STUDENTS

[Anchor Lead]

Today for our local news, we take you to Cheongju where an elementary school on the verge of shutting down due to decreasing students, is now flooded with phone calls from parents asking if they could send their children there. It's said to be a miracle accomplished by the town residents. Let's take a look.

[Pkg]

Children in this kindergarten class are busy piling up boxes and playing with kitchen toys. Out on the playground in PE class, a dodge ball game is under way. Including kindergarteners, this rural school had just 26 pupils in total, but ten transfer students came along.

[Soundbite] SIN BOK-HO(PRINCIPAL, BAEKBONG ELEMENTARY) : "We struggled with decreasing student numbers. Now it's better and the school is more vibrant."

This miraculous turnaround was made possible thanks to a brilliant idea the locals came up with. Upon hearing the news that the town's one and only school will be closing, residents decided to use government subsidies allotted for developing their town in building new homes for the families of transfer students. They proposed attracting new students in return for providing residence for the family. The student's family only need to pay about 50-thousand won in monthly maintenance fees.

[Soundbite] HAN SEOK-HO(SCHOOL ALUMNI PRESIDENT) : "Through the project, we were determined to rescue the school for the sake of the town."

Six families moved into town. They newcomers grew closer together in the process of settling in.

[Soundbite] CHOI JONG-BOK(TRANSFER STUDENT'S FATHER) : "The housing environment was a big reason we decided to move. Rural life also provides stability for the children."

Local residents plan to build six more houses this year to continue the win-win solution for the town and the school.