Granny Goes To School: How A Village A South Korea Rewrote Rules Of Education

Often, I would hear stories from my parents about how their grandmothers could only write their names and nothing more, how a tough upbringing had prevented them from getting a proper education. At times, I would hear them sigh and wonder, What if time could be reversed, and they could relive their dreams of going to school?

In today's world, where education is largely accessible, imagining a time when learning was a luxury feels almost surreal. The stories of our elders walking miles to reach the nearest school evoke a deep sense of nostalgia, these were the tales we grew up hearing as Indian children. We also learned how, for many women, the dream of education ended simply because they weren’t allowed to travel far from home.

As children, we were often told that there's a "right age" for everything. But does that principle truly apply to gaining knowledge? Human civilisation owes its evolution to the relentless pursuit of learning, from mastering fire and hunting to performing complex tasks with a simple click. Just as phones have evolved from basic handsets to smartphones, it seems only fair that we offer our older generations the upgrade they always longed for: Education.

How South Korean School Bridged Generational Gap Through Education

In South Korea, where a rapid decline in the birth rate has led to dwindling school enrollments and rising concerns about the nation’s future, one school turned this crisis into a powerful opportunity. Yangdong Elementary School, located in Gosung County, welcomed elderly women, many of whom had never learned to read or write, into its classrooms.

These grandmothers were born around the time of the Korean War (1950–1953), a devastating conflict between North and South Korea that claimed at least 2.5 million lives. During those harsh years, many women were forced to abandon their studies and focus on survival, supporting their families through one of the country’s most turbulent eras.

In a CNA exclusive, the school’s principal shared how the idea emerged after realising that many local grandmothers had never stepped foot inside a classroom. Encouraged by the school, the women enrolled and soon found joy in the learning process, eagerly participating in classes and school events alongside the younger students.

Although this initiative originally aimed to save the school from shutting down due to low admission numbers, it blossomed into something far more beautiful. Education became the bridge between generations. The elderly women experienced the childhood they never had, while the children found companionship, wisdom, and affection in their classmates, who also turned them into partners in crime.

This heartwarming experiment proves that it's never too late to learn, and more importantly, that education is not just a privilege or a utility, it is a powerful, binding force that connects the past with the present, and perhaps, shapes a better future for all.