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Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > JAPANESE GOVERMENT POLICICIES IN EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND CULTURE 1994 > PART II Chapter 5 Section 1

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PART II Recent Trends and Developments in Government Policies in Education, Science and Culture
Chapter 5. Promotion of Private Schools
Section 1. The Important Role of Private Schools


About 80% of university and junior college students, approximately 30% of upper secondary school students, and about 80% of kindergarten children are enrolled in private schools. These figures are indicative of the important contribution that private schools have made to the development and dissemination of education in Japan.

Recent trends, including internationalization, the shift to an information-oriented society, and the maturation of society, have created a need across the entire educational spectrum for distinctive education capable of accommodating the increasing diversity and sophistication of society and the public. Private schools have an important role to play in this context because of their ability to develop highly individualistic and diverse educational and research programs based on the philosophies and principles that inspired their founders.

In view of the important contribution of private schools, the government regards the promotion of such schools as an important policy priority. A variety of measures are being implemented in accordance with the aims of the Private School Promotion Subsidy Law, including

(1) subsidies for current expenditures and other subsidy programs for private schools,
(2) long-term, low-interest loans from the Japan Private School Promotion Foundation, and
(3) favorable taxation measures.

The purpose of these measures is to maintain and improve educational and research conditions in private schools, to reduce the financial burden on students and parents, and to ensure sound management.

Private schools face a difficult business environment, owing to such factors as a rapidly shrinking school-age population. Individual institutions are making self-help efforts to strengthen their financial structure on the basis of long-range forecasts. They are also actively involved in university reform efforts targeted toward the advancement, individualization, and revitalization of educational and research activities, as well as upper secondary education reform efforts designed to provide education that is more individualized and diverse. These efforts are expected to lead to the creation of distinctive, attractive schools.


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