TOKYO —

The education ministry is seeking 45.5 billion yen to provide financial aid to high school students in an overall 6.46 trillion yen budget request announced Friday for the 2010 fiscal year from next April.

The request comes as an increasing number of students and families are facing financial difficulties amid the economic downturn. It is the first aid program of its kind being considered for high school students and would cover an estimated 450,000 students across Japan with annual household incomes of 3.5 million yen or less. Such assistance by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology would cover tuition fees and other expenses, including spending for school trips and textbooks, in the form of scholarships students would not have to repay.

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4 Comments

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  AK619 at 08:13 AM JST - 29th August

  Education for childern should've never been a payment responsibility for parents in the first place. Education should always be pay by taxes. The youth growing up with an education is vital for the future of a country.

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  fukuyama at 09:59 AM JST - 29th August

  yeah but some parents prefer to send their children to the international school and paid by themselves for higher quality of education.

  and agree that those cannot afford international school should be subsidized by taxes

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  elbudamexicano at 10:27 AM JST - 29th August

  These high school students should start arubaitos! What is wrong with working a couple of hours at a convinience store etc..They need to start learning that money does not grow on trees.

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  Crimsonsil at 12:45 AM JST - 31st August

  These high school students should start arubaitos! What is wrong with working a couple of hours at a convinience store etc..They need to start learning that money does not grow on trees.

  I thought that was against the rules at some high schools.

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