30% of children in low-income families miss out on extracurriculars: survey

About 30% of children in low-income households did not take part in any extracurricular activities such as lessons or trips over the past year, a survey showed on Monday.

The survey by Chance for Children, a Tokyo-based public interest incorporated association providing educational support, found wide income-based disparities in children’s opportunities for learning through extracurricular activities.

The association conducted the survey online in March among 7,374 parents nationwide whose children ranged from being in the first grade at elementary school to being in their third year of high school. All respondents provided valid answers.

Households with annual incomes below ¥3 million ($19,000) were defined as low-income households.

Asked about out-of-school activities over the past year, 30.5% of respondents from low-income households said their children had taken part in none, compared with 14.1% among households with annual incomes of at least ¥6 million.

The activities included lessons, school clubs, volunteer work, travel and visits to arts and cultural events.

Annual spending on such activities averaged about ¥44,000 for low-income households, compared with about ¥117,000 for households earning at least ¥6 million.

Among low-income households that had reduced spending on out-of-school activities, 76.5% cited the rising prices for necessities, indicating the impact of higher living costs.

“Disparities in children’s opportunities for experiences stem from differences in families’ living circumstances,” said Yusuke Imai, representative director of Chance for Children.

He called on the national and local governments to provide greater support for financially struggling families and ensure children’s right to learn.