Private high schools remain out of reach for many despite tuition-free policy, survey finds

Tuition-free private high school education began in April, but families still face a heavy financial burden from expenses other than tuition, including admission fees and other school charges.

Nearly 30% of students from financially struggling households said they could not consider private high schools as an option when choosing where to study, according to a survey by international nonprofit organization Save the Children Japan.

The survey was conducted online in May and June among households participating in a child benefit program run by the Tokyo-based organization. It received 550 valid responses, including 125 first-year junior high school and high school students from across Japan and 425 parents.

Asked how the high school tuition-free policy had affected their choice of school, 27% of first-year senior high school students responded they had been unable to consider private schools as an option because they thought they would face expenses other than tuition.

Meanwhile, half of the parents whose children attend private high schools cited as a major concern when enrolling them the possibility that their children might have to leave school for financial reasons.

The survey showed that the average school fees, including facility maintenance and air-conditioning charges incurred when entering a private high school was ¥147,526 ($932), more than double the figure recorded a year earlier.

Admission fees averaged ¥173,135, about 1.2 times the previous year’s level. Expenses for uniforms, sportswear and commuter passes also increased.

More than 60% of parents and junior high school and high school students said they wanted computers and tablet devices, which are expensive for families to purchase, to be provided as school-owned equipment.

Subsidies or grants for purchasing such devices were available to 54.7% of students at public schools, compared with just 7% at private schools. Families whose children attend private high schools spent the average of about ¥100,000 for the purchase.

“Rising prices and the resulting financial strain are affecting children’s right to education, particularly those from economically disadvantaged households,” said Mitsue Tashiro of the organization.

Yuji Shirakawa, a professor specializing in sociology of education at Chiba University who helped with the survey, said, “Schools need to reconsider their practices regarding admission fees and other charges, and take measures such as providing learning materials as school-owned supplies and promoting the transfer of used items from graduating students to incoming students.”