With no prospect for reopening schools amid the spread of the new coronavirus, the government is considering the option of moving the start of the school year from April to September. Opinions are split, however, among various parties concerned, as this option would affect not only education circles but the setup of society as a whole.
"It is one of the big options if the public can share the same understanding," education minister Koichi Hagiuda said Wednesday at a House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting, referring to the idea of starting school in September.
According to the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry, 93% of public schools, 98% of national schools and 82% of private schools have been closed as of April 22. The comprehensive closure of elementary, junior high and high schools has created a gap in the progress of learning among schools and regions.
A male teacher, 57, at a public high school in Chiba Prefecture said: "We can't offer fulfilling classes online like private schools do. It this goes on, the situation will create inequality regarding university entrance exams."
If students start their school year in September, they will be able to secure the time necessary to attend classes, even if schools are closed until August. They will also be able to engage in club activities and school events.
By postponing entrance exams scheduled for next year in line with September admission, it would become unnecessary to review the scope of the exam questions.
Fall admissions are mainstream in the United States and Europe, so Japanese universities will become more internationalized if they can accept more foreign students smoothly. However, there would be many problems to address before shifting the school year to September.
Kindergartens would have to accept children for five more months. The schedule for entrance and qualification exams, as well as job employment and job hunting, would also need to be reviewed.
How to deal with students born between April and August would be another problem. Under the School Education Law, children must reach their sixth birthday on or before April 1 in order to start their compulsory education of that school year starting in April.
If children who became first-grade elementary school students this year started school from September, that would mean some would start compulsory education at the age of 7. Therefore, the law must be revised.
On top of that, personnel management at school would have to be reviewed to prevent teachers from retiring in the middle of the school year, and the fiscal year would also have to be revised. If students study in their current grades/years for another six months, their tuition may increase.
Problems of school management caused by the five-month delay in tuition payments cannot be ignored, either.
"There is no guarantee that the infections will end by September," a senior ministry official said.
The National Governors' Association held a teleconference Wednesday during which members agreed on recommending that the central government consider taking measures, including a September start, if schools remain closed after the state of emergency ends on May 6.
At the meeting, Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike said, "[Starting school in] September is the global standard," and the governors of Osaka and Kanagawa prefectures agreed. On the other hand, Saitama Gov. Motohiro Ono said, "It's necessary to link with the fiscal year of society as a whole," and other governors said such a change should not be introduced "amid turmoil."
Japan Private High School Federation chairman Susumu Yoshida said, "We're perplexed by the sudden rise of calls to start the academic year in September, without any discussion on what to do about tuition and study until September."
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