Pupils and residents bid farewell to schools being closed down

Pupils and residents bid farewell to schools being closed down

On March 24, pupils and kindergarten children at Genga Elementary School spoke at Genga in Nago.


March 25, 2013 Ryukyu Shimpo

On March 24, closing ceremonies were held at Genga Elementary School and kindergarten in Nago, and Kori Elementary School and kindergarten in Nakijin. Decreasing numbers of pupils mean that they will merge with neighboring schools from April. Genga Elementary School has operated for 68 years, and Kori Elementary School for 122 years.

Participants said heartfelt farewells to their old schools.

More than 500 local residents, including people from Naha and other regions, attended the ceremony at Genga Elementary School. Twenty-one pupils and two young children said that they will keep the traditions of the school in their hearts and their memories, and that Genga Elementary School was a marvelous place to study.

On March 24, pupils at Kori Elementary School unveiled a memorial stone at Kori Elementary School in Nakijin.


About 300 local residents and former pupils took part in the closing ceremony at Kori Elementary School. Everyone sang the school song after they unveiled a memorial stone in the school grounds.

Sixth grader Dona Matsuda said, “I will never forget the school that I attended for eight years, right through from kindergarten. When I eventually have a family, I’ll show them the memorial and will tell them where my school was.”
Genga Elementary School will merge with Makiya Elementary School and Kori Elementary School will merge with Amesoko Elementary School.

(English translation by T&CT, Hitomi Shinzato and Mark Ealey)

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