Tuition Elimination Program Fuels Fears for Public High Schools

Tokyo, Jan. 7 (Jiji Press)--Japan’s program to effectively eliminate high school tuition from fiscal 2026 is heightening concerns among public high schools that a shift toward private education will increase further.

Under the government’s draft budget for the fiscal year starting in April, subsidies of up to 457,200 yen will be provided per student at full-time private high schools a year.

With the cost gap between public and private high schools set to narrow substantially, public school educators worry that the popularity of private school will intensify, possibly leading to a decrease in junior high school students selecting public high schools.

They are also concerned that such a development, coupled with a decline in the population of children, could accelerate consolidations of public high schools.

In line with the introduction of the free education program, the education ministry plans a major expansion of support to bolster the attraction of public high schools.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]