(2)Problems of Prolonging the Period of Compulsory Education

Although in 1917 the Special Council for Education considered it premature to prolong the period of compulsory education, the possibility of an eight-year course of instruction continued to be debated over the next years. For example, in 1924, Minister of Education Egi Kazuyuki prepared a draft for consideration which was intended to abolish the distinction between ordinary and higher elementary schools. It provided for eight years of compulsory education up to the age of fourteen. The draft was sent to the Educational and Cultural Policy Council for debate in May but was later withdrawn as a result of a Cabinet reshuffle.

Minister of Education Hirao Hachisaburo (1866 -1945) was especially resolute in backing the policy of eight years of compulsory education, and in July, 1936, he made public a plan for its implementation starting in the spring of 1938, which elicited considerable interest. The plan was proposed to the Cabinet in November of that year and in January of the following year, a bill was drafted by him to gradually extend compulsory education to eight years, a budget was appropriated, and policies dealing with particulars were drawn up. It seemed, then, that success would be achieved within the near future, but again a Cabinet reshuffle made it impossible to introduce the bill to the Imperial Diet and the necessary appropriations were deleted from the national budget.

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