Support for school attendance Differences in notification and response from local governments May not receive necessary support May 24, 6:32
"School attendance" to support expenses such as school supplies for economically strict households.
The government has called on the municipalities to use it for families whose economic situation has suddenly changed due to the effect of the new coronavirus, but experts pointed out that there is a difference in communication between local governments and necessary support may not be received. I am.
School support is a system in which municipalities support expenses such as school supplies such as school bags and school lunch so that elementary and junior high school students with economically difficult homes can study with peace of mind, and the target is decided based on income etc. of the previous year. ..
While the influence of the new coronavirus spreads, the country is flexible in considering not only the income of the previous year but also the sudden change in the household budget in February and March when extending the target and extending the application deadline from April. I called on the local government to take appropriate measures.
In response to this, Yamagata City created a new page dedicated to school attendance explaining the changes related to the new coronavirus on its website, and Fujiidera City, Osaka Prefecture, extended the application deadline from April to June to prevent infection. From this point of view, we will accept applications not only by submitting to the government office but also by mail this year.
On the other hand, Yuji Shirakawa of Chiba University's Graduate School of International Academic Research is familiar with school attendance, because there are differences in publicity, such as the fact that there are local governments that have already closed the application for April without clearly indicating that they will respond flexibly to sudden changes in households. Associate professors point out that they may not be able to receive the necessary support without being notified of the availability.
Shirakawa said, "The difference in support is not enough as a system to support compulsory education / it is necessary to decide how to disseminate and operate in wide units such as prefectures rather than ward municipalities." Talking
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, and Education
Regarding the differences in publicity and response among local governments, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology said, "School support is a system that enables children to live their school life with peace of mind and is necessary for families who need support. We want each local government to actively provide information so that assistance can be provided. ”
In addition, he says, "If you have a financial problem such as a sudden change in your household budget, please consult the school or board of education of your local government."