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CHAPTER SPREAD OF EDUCATION AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

In examining the trend in educational expenditure which has supported the expansion of education since the Meiji Era (1868-1912), comparison is made between total educational expenditures and total enrollment, by level of education.

Generally speaking, the increase in educational expenditure corresponds to that in enrollment at each level of education. But a detailed study makes it clear that the relationships between the two factors differ slightly according to level.

At the elementary level, since the beginning of the Taisho Era (1912 -1926) the rate of increase in expenditure has exceeded considerably the rate of increase in enrollment. The fact is that expenditures continued to increase sharply even after compulsory education had been almost completed.

At the secondary level the rate of expenditure increase paralleled fairly closely that of the enrollment increase. The same is true of the curves of higher educational expenditures and enrollments.

Figure 15. Educational Expenditure and Enrollment at Each Level of Education