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Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > JAPANESE GOVERMENT POLICIES IN EDUCATION, SCIENCE, SPORTS AND CULTURE 1995 > Special Report 2 (3)

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Special Report. The Response of the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture to the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake
2. Restoration of Educational Facilities and improvement of Disaster Prevention Systems
(3) Study Assistanace, Scholarship Loans, Exemption from Tuition Fees, and Other Student Aid Measures


It is important to provide for students and schoolchildren unable to continue their studies for financial reasons, including the loss of their homes or of the adults who had been responsible for their educational expenses. A variety of measures were implemented for this purpose. First, prefectural boards of education and other organizations were instructed to implement study assistance systems for disaster-affected students as promptly and flexibly as possible. Before the end of fiscal 1994 approximately 44,000 students had received payments to cover the cost of school stationery, school lunches, and other necessities. The Japan Scholarship Foundation also took special steps, including the flexible application of its usual selection criteria to students in need of emergency scholarship loans because of the earthquake. Approximately 3.8 billion yen was earmarked for this purpose in the first supplementary budget for fiscal 1995, following a similar measure in the second supplementary budget for fiscal 1994.

National, local public, and private educational institutions implemented necessary measures, as well, including the reduction or waiver of tuition, enrollment, and other fees. National institutions reduced or waived tuition and enrollment fees for students deemed unable to pay because of earthquake damage or the death of the adults responsible for their educational expenses. Local public institutions were requested to provide similar consideration. As a result, universities, upper secondary schools, and other educational institutions in most prefectures and municipalities reduced or waived tuition and other fees for students affected by the disaster. In addition, appropriate steps were taken within the framework of current expenditure subsidies to private schools that had reduced or waived fees. Approximately 4.9 billion yen was set aside for this purpose in the first supplementary budget for fiscal 1995.

The relevant organizations were requested to assist with the arrangement of accommodation for students who had lost their housing in the earthquake. The Center for Domestic and Foreign Students, as well as universities and other educational institutions, helped students find lodgings or supplied housing information.

Many foreign students were severely affected by the earthquake. The Association of International Education, Japan, provided emergency relief payments to foreign students who had lost their accommodation and were experiencing livelihood and housing problems. Similarly, the Association for the Promotion of Japanese Language Education made sympathy payments to students affected by the earthquake.


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