When the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology investigated for the first time about making public elementary and junior high schools nationwide barrier-free, it was found that the status of eliminating steps to classrooms and installing toilets for wheelchair users was only around 60%. It was.
Public elementary and junior high schools are required to promote measures such as the amendment of the "Barrier-free Law" that will come into effect in April next year, which will require barrier-free construction at the time of new construction. For the first time, we investigated the current situation of 28,131 public elementary and junior high schools nationwide.
Of these, 65% of the total were wheelchair-accessible toilets, and 78% were at 6451 schools with children and faculty members who needed assistance due to disabilities.
Only 57% of schools have a slope to the classroom, and 72% of schools have children who need assistance.
The number of children with disabilities attending special needs classes has doubled in the last 10 years to more than 278,000 last year, and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology says that there are issues at present and will encourage efforts.