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CHAPTER 4. MEASURES OF NATIONAL EFFORTAND DISTRIBUTION OF TIRE EDUCATIONALINVESTMENT
1. Per Capita National Income and Percentage of National Income Spent for Education
(1) International Comparison by Different Patterns


The percentage of national income spent for education of a country should be studied in relation to the level of the national income per capita of total population. The findings of a comparative study of 33 countries of the world concerning the percentage of national income spent for education are indicated in Table 29. In this study, as an index of the stage of economic development of these countries, the amount of national income per capita was used.

Table 29. National Income Per Capita of Total Population and the Percentage of National Income Spent for Public Education

As in shown in the above table, the percentage of national income spent for public education is generally highest in the economically developed countries and the percentage is lowest in the economically less developed countries. Of the 33 countries, 16 have a national income of more than 500 dollars per capita. In these countries, the percentage of national income spent for public education is generally high, the per cent in 10 of those countries is more than 4 per cent, and in the other 6 countries, over 3 percent. The per cent is generally low in the 17 counties of less than 500 dollars national income per capita.

In 12 of those 17 countries the percentage of the national income devoted to education is less than 3 per cent, and in 6 less than 2 per cent.

Japan is one of the countries of the group having national income of 200-499 dollars per capita, with approximately 350 dollars per capita. The percentage of national income spent for public education in Japan is higher than that in Yugoslavia, Chile, Spain and others of the same level of per capita income as that of this country, the percentage in this country being more than 5 per cent, which is as high as that in the United Kingdom, the U.S.S.R. Norway, Finland, Belgium and the Netherlands, countries of higher level of per capita income than Japan.

Thus, despite relatively low per pupil expenditures for education, Japan is making a relatively high effort to support its educational institutions as compared with other countries.

The public expenditures for education in Japan represent 24.1 per cent of the total amount of the total expenditures of the national and local governments. For the purpose of comparison, the percentage in foreign countries as well as in Japan are indicated in Table 30.

Table 30. Percentage of Total National and Local Public Expenditures Spent for Education

The percentage of total public expenditures spent for education in Japan is higher than that in any of the 8 countries listed. Moreover, the percentage of civil expenditures spent for education in Japan is exceeded only by the U.S.A.

Thus, in comparison with other countries, Japan is making a relatively greater effort to support its schools, as shown by the percentage of its total public expenditures devoted to education as well as by the percentage of its national income devoted to education.


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