The number of Taiwanese children of school age is dwindling, and one survey blames the cost of education for the situation.

The number of new primary school students fell to fewer than 300,000 this year and is expected to drop to 200,000 in five years, meaning that high schools and colleges will also have fewer students in the future.

According to a survey by Taiwan Normal University, nearly 85 percent of the residents said they are less willing to have a child because the education fees are too high.

In 2005, each Taiwanese family had an average of 1.18 children, compared with five in 1950.

(www.chinataiwan.org)