Japan begins Free Preschool Education for all children

From October 2019, preschool education and childcare will become free in Japan. This initiative is under the preschool subsidy program introduced by the government as an effort to reduce the burden on child-rearing households.

The revenue from consumption taxes that was recently increased from 8 to 10 percent, introduced in the same month, will support this program. The government estimates over 776 billion yen to be allocated to free education.

With that in place, authorized preschools and childcare centers will be free of charge for all children aged 3 to 5 years old, regardless of household income level. Unauthorized institutions and private kindergartens will be given monthly subsidies.

This financial relief addresses the issue of declining birth rates in Japan as it grants young married couples a greater capacity to start bigger families. Besides, with free preschool education, it gives children an equal opportunity to enroll in the school of their choice.

However, with that being said, we must take into consideration the social effects that this program may pose, especially to the childcare industry. It is expected that with free preschool education, there would be a surge in demand for nursery school teachers and childcare workers that the industry is unable to meet. Some argue that this might compromise the quality of preschool education and childcare in Japan.

The scope for free education is expected to expand in April 2020, where the government would be branching out into the realm of high education. The scheme for higher education sees a range of scholarships, fee waivers, grants and subsidies for low-income university students for different types of tertiary institutions.

All in all, free education is the country’s first step to transform the nation’s social security system for its people. The Japanese government is determined to build a society where its future generation can strive to achieve their dreams.