The government has decided to include about 230 billion yen for a project to provide a personal computer to every elementary and junior high school student in an emergency economic package to be compiled next week.
Amid the spread of the new coronavirus, which could extend the closure of schools, the government plans to provide an environment for students to study at home as soon as possible.
This will allow each student to bring a personal computer from school to their home so they can continue to study.
The government initially set a goal of assigning one computer per student in fiscal 2023, but decided to move up the target date.
They have already calculated the costs of computers for three grades -- out of nine for elementary and junior high school students -- in the fiscal 2019 supplementary budget.
The government plans to include the costs for the remaining computers in the fiscal 2020 draft supplementary budget included in the economic stimulus package.
The Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry has been asking local bodies to consider continuing a blanket suspension of classes even fter the start of a new school year.
With some local governments deciding to continue the closure of schools, there is an urgent need to improve the quality of home-schooling.
Using a computer, students can receive online lessons at home and watch lecture videos provided by private business operators.
The ministry plans to allow schools to use the computers on a flexible basis so that disparity in academic ability of students in each area does not widen.
For households with no internet, the government will include costs for lending a mobile router to families into the draft supplementary budget as well.
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