In a bid to increase student enrollments, the public elementary school atop Mount Rokko will accept children from out of its school district beginning in the next academic year, the Kobe municipal board of education has said.
Rokkosan Elementary SchoolPublic schools usually enroll children only from designated areas near the schools.
In the past, Rokkosan Elementary School hosted many students who were children of employees at corporate recreational facilities on Mount Rokko. But with the facilities being shut down, the number of pupils has been declining.
The school used to have up to 73 children but now has only 11. No new students enrolled for this academic year, which began in April. There are six teachers, including Principal Masaaki Takamitsu. For the next year, the school will accept up to 39 new pupils, who must live in Kobe.
Takamitsu said he hopes the new enrollment policy will have positive educational effects.
"Kids on the mountain and those off the mountain will both be able to broaden their views," he said.