Declining Fertility: Implications for Regional Education Planning

Abstract

The most important asset of any organisation or country is its reserve of human resource. The capacity of society to understand and successfully adapt to new situations is highly related to the levels of training and education of its individual members. The education system, therefore, is one of the main foundations of any society's future. Over the last decade, Spain and the Valencia region, in particular, have experienced precipitous drops in fertility that will inevitably reduce school enrolments. In this paper we quantify the magnitude of the reductions and, after some analysis, lay out the potential consequences for the regional education system, and for society as a whole.

Exploring emotional aspects of infertility in women from two countries

“…Low fertility might be the consequence of a decision to delay motherhood, 38 as it is the case in Greece. Mothers in Greece are older at childbirth and the majority of live births are inside marriage.…”

“…39 Low fertility might be related to the new attitudes towards family and the working life of women as a consequence of their new education and economic status, and also as a result of the combination of gender equity to distribute family costs, and the lack of stability in the labour market which prevails in southern European societies. 38 The changes in socio-economic conditions are connected with decrease in fertility. 40 Both countries have undergone some changes in their political and economic development -Bulgaria, in the transition from socialism to democracy, Greece during its economic debt crisis, 41 that could increase uncertainty, especially in women.…”