Japan to Set Up 300-B.-Yen Funds for High School Reform

Tokyo, Nov. 15 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s education ministry plans to establish a fund for high school education reform in each of the 47 prefectures, totaling some 300 billion yen. The ministry aims to strengthen financial support for public high schools through the new funds, because the planned expansion of the country’s free high school tuition program in fiscal 2026 is expected to lead more students to choose private schools. The funds will be spent mainly on measures to make public schools more attractive, such as hiring outside experts as lecturers and procuring 3D printers and information devices. The ministry said that more than half of high school students across the country study humanities and social sciences, and about 30 pct science and technology. Students of specialized high schools, including agricultural and technical schools, are only 20 pct of the total. Amid the low birthrate and depopulation in rural areas, the ministry regards an enhancement of specialized high schools as an urgent task. The ministry also aims to facilitate the development of specialist personnel in the digital area, whose demand is surging. In a recent working-level meeting, the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) and the LDP’s previous partner, Komeito, agreed to draw up a grand design for the high school education reform toward 2040. Their plan calls for providing grants to prefectures based on the grand design. The government decided to set up the funds ahead of the grants, which are expected to be provided from fiscal 2027 after the establishment of a reform plan in each prefecture. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]