Hidden child poverty: Can comedy cure Japan’s education inequality?

It’s been a while since most of the media and non-governmental sectors have pointed out how seriously poverty influences inequality in education, and Japanese citizens who are reluctant to admit that there’s inequality within Japanese society finally started to recognize the issue.

Japan’s current child poverty crisis

According to government research of 2021, 11.5% of children (approx. 2 points improved from 2018) under 17 live in poverty, which means they are in households with income less than half of those in the median.

Poverty and education are closely related because children from lower income tend to have fewer opportunities for sufficient education and employment. The 2018 data by Nippon Foundation shows that academic ability tends to be lower when children are in poverty, especially after the fourth grade (age of 10), and the academic ability gap between those in poverty and those not widens significantly.

Culture and values shared among lower-income communities

While the government offers various support measures including reducing educational and childcare costs, as well as counseling services and family matters to tackle the issue, some argue that what needs a change is the culture and values shared among lower-income communities. For example, these households are reluctant or unable to spend money on education such as cram schools, “juku,” (It’s not mandatory to attend though almost inevitable in Japanese culture.) and extra textbooks.

Additionally, many children from low-income families haven’t developed good study habits. One of the reasons can be the home environment, such as inadequate study space and family members or friends not allowing them to concentrate on studying.

Japanese comedian runs a low-cost cram school

In response to this complicated situation, one man stood up; Tetsuo of Waraimeshi, a Japanese comedian. He operates a low-cost juku school called “Terakoya Koyaya” (The original word “Terakoya” refers to private educational institutions that taught children reading and writing skills during the Edo period) so that any child, regardless of their economic status, can attend a juku school.

This school addresses the heart of the problem for several reasons. Firstly, it only costs 5,000 yen/month, whereas other schools cost around 60,000 yen (US$400) /month. Osaka City, where Tetsuo operates the school, offers “Juku Tuition Subsidy Program” that corresponds to income levels, and by utilizing it, children from financially struggling families can attend juku at a significantly reduced cost.

Secondly, the school offers interesting and motivating lessons that make children want to attend. The instructors are highly educated comedians who are not yet famous, and they can improve their speaking skills by teaching children, which is necessary for comedians. Additionally, midst voices expressing embarrassment about attending a tutoring school intended for the impoverished, this particular school has become more accessible due to its engaging and noteworthy aspects.

What needs to be done to address hidden poverty

Although there are numerous initiatives to support those in need, many still feel uncomfortable with assistance because they don’t want to admit poverty. Nowadays, more and more celebrities and comedians are revealing that they were poor as children. Whether it is coming out or activities like the school, society is moving on to see what must be done to tackle hidden poverty and prevent the reproduction of poverty.