It has been more than four years since the law requiring all prefectures to establish "night junior high school" for those who could not receive compulsory education, but there are still prospects for specific establishment in 33 prefectures. not.
Under these circumstances, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has notified the Boards of Education in each region to further promote the efforts with the intention of aiming for establishment nationwide in the next five years.
Public night classes, so-called "night junior high schools," were established in the 1945's for those who could not learn during the postwar turmoil, and recently those who could not receive compulsory education due to poverty or school refusal, etc. It is a place of learning for people of nationality.
At night junior high school, tuition and textbooks are free of charge, and classes are held five days a week. If a licensed public junior high school teacher teaches and completes the class, it will be recognized as having graduated from junior high school.
According to the 2010 census, the number of preschoolers in compulsory education exceeded 128,000, and in December 2016, the national government enforced a law to secure educational opportunities in all prefectures nationwide. At least one school called for a public night junior high school.
After that, three schools opened in Saitama and Ibaraki prefectures, but after more than four years, there are still only 34 schools in 10 prefectures. However, there is no concrete outlook for the timing of installation in 33 prefectures.
According to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, in addition to issues such as financial aspects and securing teachers, it is difficult to grasp how many people need night junior high school as the biggest reason.
On the other hand, the number of children who are not attending school at elementary and junior high schools has exceeded 180,000, and the number of foreign nationals living in Japan has increased to nearly 3 million, and their role is increasing.
Under these circumstances, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology issued a notice to the Board of Education nationwide this month, in which Prime Minister Suga aims to establish at least one school in all prefectures and ordinance-designated cities in the next five years at the Diet last month. As he expressed his thoughts, he reiterated the promotion of efforts for installation and enhancement.
In Kawasaki City ...
Night junior high school is now playing an increasing role as a safety net that guarantees the learning of various people, such as those who could not receive compulsory education due to school refusal or family circumstances, and those of foreign nationality.
31 students from 10 countries, including Japan, Nepal, and the Philippines, are studying at "Night Junior High School" in Kawasaki City and at Nishinakahara Junior High School.
It was opened in 1982 in response to the voices of citizens who could not attend junior high school, but recently, the number of people who graduated formally without attending compulsory education and students of foreign nationality is increasing. I will.
There is no tuition fee, and licensed teachers teach from 5:40 pm to past 9 pm five days a week, and many students go on to part-time high schools after graduation.
A 20-year-old Nepalese woman who came to Japan as one of the students only attended elementary school up to the fifth grade said that she is currently working in a distribution warehouse but started going to want to become a nurse. But the teacher is kind and fun. I want to study to support my family and live in Japan. "
Also, a 20-year-old Nepalese man who works at a restaurant run by his family said, "Life is very difficult due to the influence of the new corona, but what I learned here is useful when interacting with customers at the store. I want to move on, "he said with a smile.
A 74-year-old Japanese woman who graduated last year and is now attending a part-time high school said, "I entered the school because I wanted to relearn from scratch, and I still love my alma mater after graduating. It is useful for the world this year. Sometimes I wonder if it's going to happen, but I'm glad if it helps someone someday, so I'm continuing my studies. "
At school, about 1,300 students attending during the day and students at night interact with each other by holding cultural festivals and sports festivals together to deepen mutual understanding.
Principal Kenichi Abe said, "Night junior high school is a place where I feel that it is the starting point of education, and the joy of learning is condensed and we have more to learn from students. Everyone has the same right to learn, but not attending school There are many people who could not learn due to family circumstances. Night junior high school is also the last safety net, and it is our role to provide a place if there is even one person who needs education, which Local governments also need to proceed with the installation. "
In Tokushima ...
In Tokushima Prefecture, the first night junior high school in Japan to open in April.
However, prospective enrollees have not reached their goals and are still looking for ways to reach out to those in need of re-learning opportunities.
"Tokushima Prefectural Shirasagi Junior High School", which will open in Tokushima City in April, is the first night junior high school in Japan to be established by the prefecture in place of the municipalities that lack financial resources and human resources. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology is also paying attention.
Since it is a "single school" that is not a branch school of the existing school, it is expected that it will be possible to provide a flexible curriculum that suits each student with diverse backgrounds by having many teachers with their own school songs and school emblems. I am.
In addition, we asked Angela Aki, a singer-songwriter from Tokushima Prefecture, to write and compose the school song so that many citizens of the prefecture would know about the opening of the school.
Tokushima Prefectural Shirasagi Junior High School has been interviewing students who are planning to enroll in order to organize a curriculum tailored to their students from January.
Teruki Ochiai (38), one of the prospective students and the director of a nursery school in Tokushima City, was not good at group behavior from an early age and could not keep up with his studies. When he was in the second year of junior high school, he became ill. I went to school.
At night junior high school, I would like to relearn mathematics, which I am not good at, and use it to manage a nursery school.
Mr. Ochiai said, "I knew that I could go to junior high school even after I became an adult, and I thought that I had prepared this for myself, so I didn't hesitate to apply for admission." I was talking.
However, the challenge is how to inform people like Mr. Ochiai who are motivated to learn.
In the first year, we are recruiting students with a target of 60 students, but by the 26th, we have 21 students, which is about 30% of the target.
Until now, there was no night junior high school including the private sector, so we do not know where and how much needs there are, and the prefectural board of education does not have accumulated know-how.
Therefore, the Tokushima Prefectural Board of Education is trying to grasp potential needs by calling for cooperation from local welfare officers and guardians, in addition to disseminating information through leaflets and posters.
Vice-principal Junichiro Yabuuchi of Tokushima Prefectural Shirasagi Junior High School said, "It is difficult for people with needs to find out where they are and it is difficult to deliver information, but there are definitely people who need it, such as school refusal and an increase in foreign workers. In interviews with prospective students, many people find it inconvenient to live because they haven't learned enough. It's been about a month before the school opened, so there are various places such as local people and municipalities. I would like to work with the students to create a school where I am glad to learn with the students, while focusing on publicity. "
In Okayama ...
Okayama City has the largest "voluntary night junior high school" in Japan, which is run by volunteers and registered by more than 200 students, and it has become a valuable "learning place" while the establishment of public night junior high schools is not progressing. I am.
This voluntary night junior high school was launched four years ago by Mr. Yoshihito Jonouchi (44), a junior high school teacher in Okayama City.
For the first six months or so, even if we handed out leaflets calling for participation, some people couldn't read and write in the first place, so people didn't get together, and there were days when no students visited.
Even so, the number of people who participated gradually increased by placing leaflets in places where many locals visit, such as convenience stores, supermarkets, and hospitals, and having them communicate by word of mouth.
Today, it has become one of the largest “learning places” in Japan, with approximately 240 students from teens to 80s, including foreigners, registering as students.
Mr. Jonouchi said, "It is difficult to tell people that you cannot read, write, or calculate, and it is not easy to uncover learning needs. Still, when you see students from a wide range of backgrounds visiting for learning. I feel that there is always a need. There are many people whose lives are threatened because they do not have the opportunity to learn. Learning is to live, "he emphasizes the significance of night junior high school.
Classes are held here once a week for about 3 hours on Saturday nights in the conference room, and students are free to participate.
From 30 to 40 people who can meet the schedule, etc., can take classes one-on-one with a volunteer instructor according to the content and pace they want to learn, such as Japanese, math, and English.
An 85-year-old woman in the city, who has been attending since the end of the war, was unable to attend junior high school because she went to work at the age of 12 immediately after the end of the war.
The woman said, "I can learn what I couldn't study when I was a kid. It's fun to solve math problems." He said that he was happy to learn from scratch even at this age.
On the other hand, there are challenges and difficulties.
Since the number of days and contents of classes do not meet the standards for a junior high school based on the law, graduation is not approved, and the needs for further advancement and employment are not fully met.
Especially for foreign nationals living in Japan, it is very significant to be recognized as having graduated from junior high school.
Another issue is securing funds.
In the case of this night junior high school, in addition to the usage fee of the venue, the purchase cost of textbooks and bread provided for lunch costs more than 1 million yen annually, all covered by donations and a monthly membership fee of 500 yen paid by the instructor. I will.
Since last year, it has become necessary to prepare thermometers and acrylic boards as a countermeasure against the infection of the new coronavirus, and it is finally possible to maintain even a weekly class.
Some students would love to attend a public night junior high school that they can attend every day.
Kenji Inoue (36) from Okayama City is one of them.
I was absent from school when I was in elementary school because of my illness, and I graduated from junior high school with almost no attendance.
Mr. Inoue is focusing on studying kanji to help him find a job, and said, "I want to study more. I would be happy if I could make friends at public night junior high school and study together."
Mr. Jonouchi said, "Public night junior high school is also necessary to meet the desire to learn more. Like the two wheels of a bicycle," based on the advantages and challenges of public night junior high school and private voluntary night junior high school. Only when there are two can we support learning. "