Arrears of public high school fees totaled Y439 million in FY 2006

Sunday 20th April, 04:45 AM JST

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15 Comments

proxy at 07:44 AM JST - 20th April

I have an idea, make public high school free. More evidence that behind the smiles, education is valued as a low priority in Japan.
Beelzebub at 10:17 AM JST - 20th April

This is sad. I think we are looking at the makings of a permanent underclass.
Alphaape at 11:07 AM JST - 20th April

I don't understand, if it is a "puboic high school" I would assume that the costs of operating the school is borne by the government (either the local city or prefecture). If you are a taxpayer (or not even a taxpayer) isn't it the responsiblitiy of the gov't to provide you with an education? That is how it is done in America. People pay their local taxes, and a percentage of it goes to the state school board and then the costs are distributed (i.e. maintenance costs, books, etc). There may also be local municipalitiy taxes (called mills) that may also be voted on to assist schools.

But the bottome line, in theory each student in America is afforded the opportunity to go to public school for free. Yes there are some schools that are better than others and get more money spent on them, but the bottom line is you are afforded the opportunity to go. If you make the most of it, then youi can proceed to college (either public or private) based on how well you did, an how much you can afford.

Private schools exist, and for some they say you get a better education, but I have known some real "dirt bags" and idots who went to private schools because their parents can afford to send them, and they have turned out to be some real loosers or in jail. So it is not a guarntee of success.

Even if you elect to send you child to private schools, you are still reguired to pay taxes to help support the public schools.

Can someone explain to me how this works in Nippon?
proxy at 11:45 AM JST - 20th April

The system hasn't been updated in Japan for decades. Way back years and years ago when they started the education system in Japan they believed, and it was probably true at the time, that all people needed was a basic elementary education and that only an elite few needed to go beyond that level. High school education was considered a "luxury" and the state need not pay for a luxury. They never got around to rethinking the system. There is still an underlying belief that "higher" education should be provided to only those worthy of it. So they put as many hurdles in front of young people as possible. There is a high school entrance exam and students pick which high school they want to enter before they sit for the exam. They can only chose 1 school and if they pick a really high level school and do not get accepted they are SOL. They cannot enter any public school until they try again 1 year later. They don't even have the option of going to the vocational high school next door if they did not pick that 1 school when they wrote the exam. They are forced to go to a private school. There is very little price difference between public high schools and most private high schools in Japan. If there is one change to the education system I could force upon this country it would be to guarantee a seat for everyone qualified, i.e. having graduated junior high, who wants to enter a public high school and make it free. If they must keep their entrance test, fine but if a kid doesn't get into the school they chose, let them drop down to a lower level school that reflects the level they achieved on the test. It would be east to do; score between 40-45% and the students can enter school A, B or C. Score between 46-55 and the students can chose between A, B, C, D,or E. Score between 56-65 and chose A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H. Score between 66-75; A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K. Score over 75% and chose any school between A and O. And then give the highest scoring students first choice.
nutsagain at 11:52 AM JST - 20th April

It's a sad truth that this is happening. Hospitals are also feeling the effects of patients trying to chisel money from them and the health system. Some are noisy and boisterous, even threatening during examinations, and It seems litigation and the profits from it is the new game in town. I know some doctors who are really afraid to perform operations for fear of litigation, valid or not. Guess who pays? I'm a snotty boys only private school graduate, Jesuit taught and your right, some of society's biggest dirt bags (self excluded of course) came from the system.
Zybster at 12:54 PM JST - 20th April

Alphaape, in Japan "obligatory" education is until Junior high school. That means in general education in public schools until the end of junior high is covered by the country. That said, there are some expenses the parents have to bear - like lunch or some others. Even with lunches, however, families with financial difficulties are given "discounts" or some other kind of help.

Here, however, the article is about the high schools, when education is no longer obligatory. The "public schools" are funded by the government (city, prefecture etc), but they are not free, the students have to pay some kind of fee. I believe they are talking about the high school students who go to relatively cheap (yes, it's only "relatively", not really cheap) public schools, yet students (= their parents) still for some reasons fail to pay.
smithinjapan at 01:35 PM JST - 20th April

This is truly sad.... public education costs millions, when it should be free. What the hell do my taxes here pay for? Health is not included, pension not included, education, unemployment, not included... What is residence tax anyway? You combine all the different taxes you pay, and then deduct the cost of 'services' from your salary, and Japan is definitely one of the most expensive and unfriendly places to live in the world.
some14some at 02:35 PM JST - 20th April

>What the hell do my taxes here pay for? .....

I think those taxes are reserved under 'slush fund'

>Osaka has the largest amount of arrears of tuition at 251.8 million yen

and same Osaka declared Y200M in slush funds as of 10th March, 2008

I am a tax payer but can not ask WHY all this misappropriation. Ah..shouganai !
European1 at 04:49 PM JST - 20th April

I don't understand, if it is a "puboic high school" I would assume that the costs of operating the school is borne by the government (either the local city or prefecture). If you are a taxpayer (or not even a taxpayer) isn't it the responsibilities of the gov't to provide you with an education?

This is Japan, only country I`m aware of who charge for compulsory education. This is why you have less and less babies born. Who can afford it? You start paying 100% from day one, when wife gets pregnant to a day when at least your kid graduate from university(23?) Gov. is only worry about foreigners and how to get more money from people. How to make "easier" for foreigners to go to school (want more money) because there are problems in registry.
Alphaape at 07:52 PM JST - 20th April

Thanks to all of you who have given me info on the Japanese education system. Sad to say, I think that the J-gov/society are setting themselves up for their own demise. On the one hand, I am sure if there was a move to reform education so that post Jr. high school education was mandatory and free for all J citizens, you would get the push back of "this is not our way, and it would not be the traditional way." Yet as others have pointed out, many couples realize it is not worth the expense to have kids (not trying to rationalize here but they base it on economic reasons, not being selfish I think but being honest at what they can afford and try to give a child) and there will be a decline in the birth rate and once again, the J-gov/society will not want to accept froeigners in or other outsiders because they are not "uniquely Japanese" and so nothing gets done and the problem will remain.

But, it is their own country and if they want to run things this way then it is there right. American educational systems certainly has its flaws, but at least we know, everyone can go to school until the 12th grade. If they learn something, then that is another story, but the opportunity is there for them to make the most of it or not.
mark009 at 09:45 PM JST - 20th April

A Education system is different in each country. The article gave the total of arrears totalled 438.9 million Yen around US$ 4.389 milion nationwide, if it was divided by a million of parents or households, each household bears US$ 4.389. In The United States, each state has a different tax system such as some states requires parents pay subdivision tax to support schools in that area. If some parents are in financial difficulties,they must be late for payments. Everyone hopes his or her government to provide more cost-free privileges from school to health insurance; but he or she understands everything only operates with a sufficient fund, even hospitals, schools, and public services providers - all needs to pay salaries to employees.
DenshaDeGO at 09:52 PM JST - 20th April

but some education board officials cited “deteriorating morals” of parents.

A very polite term for dead beats. Those unfit, low-class parents are polluting Japan with their off spring, which is why this country is swirling around the bowl.

How about those parents who didn't feel like paying for school lunch?
franz75 at 11:13 AM JST - 21st April

first: to suck poeple's money second: if there is only educated people, who will do the low paid jobs when they don't want too many foreigners?

Japan's way of social darwinism.
Alphaape at 11:30 AM JST - 21st April

Even in America with our taxation system, if you are totally destitute, you can go to school for free. There is a free lunch program. Books are all free. There are additionally services to help. I don't mind paying my taxes on things like education. Not trying to preach any socailist ideas, but it should be on the gov't to provide equal access to education (12 years). What you do with that, is up to you. If you make the most of the free education, then you have done well. If you decide to screw that up, then it is on you. But the opportunity should be there to get a quality education. A chance to better your social situation or not.
Shark_09 at 07:38 AM JST - 22nd April

"Not trying to preach any socailist ideas, but it should be on the gov't to provide equal access to education (12 years)." Exactly, you don't have to have left-wing economic ideas to understand the fact that by providing individuals from lower economic backgrounds the opportunity to get a good education and other important essentials, they are better able to take it upon themself to use the skills they learn and work hard to succeed. If they have the motivation but not the skills, then that's wasted potential.