With a focus on the New Financial Support System for Higher Education, this paper summarizes recent policy trends toward “free higher education” and discusses challenges to achieving a free higher education system. The new system expanded public spending on higher education to a certain extent, contributing to an increase in the number of students entering universities and other institutions. Nonetheless, it concomitantly aims to invest in human capital formation, thus risking selectivity and university autonomy infringement. The review conducted by the government in 2022 also did not correct these problems. The new system affects the ”free higher education” policy of local governments and the institutional-level support afforded to students. The institutional initiatives explored showcase the importance of public funding for universities and other institutions, the need to understand student situations, and to provide the necessary, tailored support. It is necessary to determine the scope of free higher education from the perspective of the parties involved in the education process, review the new system, and criticize the “free higher education” policy. Keywords: Free Higher Education, New Financial Support System for Higher Education, Tuition, Student Services, University Autonomy

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This study aimed to, first, identify the prefectural-level modifications related to the 2020 national-level institutional changes in free tuitions for private high schools. Second, this research investigated　a framework for analyzing subsidies to support school tuition. Three points were identified from the analysis. First, because the government expanded the subsidies to households with annual incomes of less than 5.9 million yen, many prefectures no longer need to provide additional subsidies to households in that income range and now focus on subsidies for other income ranges. Second, the ratio of tuition assistance to the average tuition for households with annual incomes of less than 5.9 million yen was close to 1.00. Third, some prefectures expanded subsidies for households with low income and with less than 5.9 million yen for enrollment fees and facility and equipment costs. This study shows that, in analyzing the tuition support system, greater consideration should be given to cross-references to neighboring prefectures and socioeconomic factors. Keywords: Private High School Tuition Support Fund, Free Tuition, Additional Prefectural Aid, Private High Schools and Prefectures

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This study had three objectives. First, to identify the current status of the educational cost burden required for operating public elementary and secondary schools. Second, to summarize the ongoing trends in educational expenses policy in public elementary and secondary schools. Third, to clarify whether educational expenses policy realizes the principle of free compulsory education under the Constitution and the principle of the establisher’s burden under the School Education Law. 　Keywords: Education Expenses, Public Expenses, Personal Expenses, The Principle of Free Education

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This study examined the significance and challenges of publicly-funded juku schools as local government-led learning support projects. The rationale underlying direct subsidy policies for private tutoring schools is understandable, but they are only feasible in financially-strong urban areas. With the rising costs of tutoring fees, the issue of setting upper fee limits has arisen. The establishment of publicly-funded juku schools, while supportive of local education, may inadvertently encourage the outflow of children from local areas. These initiatives stem from the entrenched notion that families must bear the costs of private education, such as tutoring fees. In this context, the offering of publicly-funded juku schools, as free or low-cost educational options outside of standard schooling, is viewed as attractive by citizens, and this perception drives the administration’s decision-making plans on school funding. However, the nationwide expansion of these cram schools could lead to the loss of their uniqueness and prestige, potentially rendering them meaningless. 　Keywords: Cram school, Juku, Publicly-Funded Juku Schools

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The Faculty of Education at Kagoshima University has been reforming its entrance examinations and curricula to improve the percentage of applicants to become teachers and to guarantee teacher training quality. To develop education that responds to regional characteristics and issues, the university has been promoting initiatives, such as collaborative agreements for promoting education in small schools in remote islands and areas, and the establishment of a university-wide teaching center. Furthermore, even after the dissolution of the teacher license renewal course, the university is considering to cooperate with the Prefectural Board of Education in responding to teacher training needs by providing training appropriate for different teaching career stages. The study presents the author’s views on these efforts to fulfill Kagoshima University’s mission of teacher training and development. Commentaries on the symposium presentations of other symposiasts are also reported. 　Keywords: Reiwa Japanese-style School Education, Teacher Training Quality Assurance

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I will introduce the current status and issues of teacher training for public school teachers in Kagoshima, our efforts based on The Central Council for Education’s Report, and the future outlooks. I will then provide my personal opinions on the role of universities and junior colleges. Although various training programs are　provided in Kagoshima, there are difficulties in securing training opportunities because there are many remote islands in the prefecture. After the revision of the Special Act for Personal Education, we enhanced the training programs from the perspective of teachers’ career stages and recurrent education. For example, we revised the “Kagoshima Prefecture Teacher Professional Development Indicators” and formulated the “Kagoshima Prefecture Teacher Training Plan.” To secure training opportunities, we have been investigating what would be the optimal mix of online and group training, ways to strengthen cooperation between local universities and junior colleges, and to promote business improvements. As the proverb says, “Teaching is learning,” meaning that teachers are strongly required to “keep learning,” which is also a characteristic that makes the teaching profession much attractive and rewarding. I hope for teacher competency development to be enabled through meaningful experiences and learnings during people’s university and college days. 　Keywords: Securing Training Opportunities, Career Stage, Recurrent, Teaching is Learning, Keep Learning

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To date, there have been several issues with the teacher license renewal system. There was a risk for licenses to expire because of insufficient confirmation of the license renewal period and/or failure to apply for a waiver. The system also overlapped with existing all-skills training programs and involves a variety of other tasks, making teachers busier and increasing their workloads. Furthermore, teachers had to pay for own course fees, transportation, lodging, among others, which are very costly. For future teacher training programs, there are expectations for more opportunities for those who have left the teaching profession and have no teaching experience to obtain a valid teaching license and resume their careers, without needing to worry about license expiration. The time required for procedures, travel, and the actual training course（30h）will also be reduced, just like the time spent on planned training and vacations, making trainees feel less busy and burdened and allowing them more time with their families. There will also be diminutions in various expenses （e.g., course fees）, allowing for more capital to be invested in books, other materials, and teaching material research. Unlike in the past, the training history of trainees will be visualizable, potentially leading to optimal individualized learning. It is important for teacher training colleges and graduate schools to cooperate with boards of education and listen to the voices of educational sites and　educators. 　Keywords: Training History, Reduction in Personal Burden, Reduction in Teacher Business and Sense of Burden, Motivated Training, Visualization of Learning Outcomes

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The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology （MEXT） believes that teachers must proactively respond to changes in the environment surrounding education, have an inquisitive mind throughout their teaching careers, and autonomously and continuously acquire new knowledge. Under this teacher-training system, the MEXT has created an ideal image for teachers as lifelong learners, which in turn served as the basis for the MEXT’s reform of the OJT system for public school teachers. In this teacher-training system, the school board proposes a teacher training plan based on MEXT guidelines, with which all teachers must comply. The school board also develops the training records for each teacher and provides them with guidance regarding training. Hence, teachers continue to be taught according to the plans outlined by the school board. To develop voluntary and autonomous training for teachers to become emboldened to play the role of research teachers, guaranteeing teacher autonomy in training objective, task, and content selection, as well as freedom to carry out autonomous educational activities based on training results, is necessary. 　Keywords: OJT, Teacher Autonomy, Self-directed Learners, Teachers as Lifelong Learners

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This study aimed to present the significance and issues of “optimal individual learning” in compulsory education, based on discussions at the Council and a theoretical examination of educational policy. The significance of “optimal individual learning” lies in the school’s welfare function of meeting individual child needs and expanding child discretionary authority. Regarding issues of “optimal individual learning,” first, there is a lack of awareness that children are not only the objects but also the subjects of needs fulfillment. Second, although critical remarks have been made regarding school uniformity, the evidence on the functions of Japanese schools remains under-explored to date. Future research issues include the elaboration of the concept of equity and the presentation of evidence on the significance of schools from a democratic perspective. It is important for schools to become places where diverse children can learn about equity and democratic societies through interactions with sundry peers and others, and to provide a system where the children’s varied needs are well met. 　Keywords: Optimal Individual Learning, Equity, School, Needs, Democratic Society

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Focusing on juku schools, this study analyzes the expansion of private education companies into public education, and discusses the ambiguity of private education companies along with key points for controlling shifts in public education. Current-day private education companies are being characterized by an expansion toward public education aimed at solving social issues, rather than to pursuing prof-its, in a process that has been called “Creating Shared Value” （CSV） in education. These private companies do not disrespect public education and schools, but the concern that private sector involvement can lead to a transformation, and perhaps even deterioration, of public education cannot be ignored. This brings to the fore two key points to consider in order to control for the potential of public education deterioration due to private sector entry. First, the maintenance of distinctions and the re-conceptualization of the nature of education, such as school/out-of-school, government sector/market sector, and public interest/private interest. Second, the need to re-examine what it means to “resolve social issues” from multiple angles, including by defining the social issues, the related goals to solve them, and the actual solutional processes. Although integrating private education companies into public education may seem, at a first glance, like a good initiative for solving social issues, we must carefully consider whether this contributes to the maintenance and development of public education. 　Keywords: Reorganization of Public Education, Private Education Industry, Creating Shared Values in　Education, Public Juku, Supplementary Tutoring

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This paper clarifies the significance of the agora in Eiichi Mochida’s view of parental participation in public education politics. A focus is placed on the relationship of the agora with mothers’ learning activities that spread around 1970 from the Federation of Kokubunji Municipal Elementary and Junior High School Parent-Teacher Association （PTA） to outside of the PTA. The Federation’s study meetings were led by many mothers. The education commissioner’s recommendation was the beginning of petitions and pleas in public education politics. Moreover, the mothers who took part in these study meetings eventually launched the Association of Education Thinking of Kokubunji in 1973. Even before joining these new educational movements, Mochida was already responding to the reality of Kokubunji. In 1969, he was in charge of the community center education class, and served as an instructor for the educational research circle in which the mothers participated. Mochida recognized the significance of the agora not only in the PTA but also outside of the PTA, such as in community centers and circles, and found opportunities to innovate local education through the learning activities outside. Thus, through his activities with mothers, Mochida embodied the theory of direct parental participation in the public education politics. 　Keywords: Eiichi Mochida, Parental Participation in Public Education Politics, Agora, Outside of the PTA, Mothers’ Learning Activities

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This study reviews the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s （MEXT） policy trends regarding school facilities.　Previous studies have investigated intergovernmental relations mainly by focusing on the vertical relationship between the central and local governments. However, recent years saw the MEXT change its financial support measures and, through this action, expect municipalities to autonomously promote school facility lifespan extension. To ensure an effective facility renovation process, municipalities need answer the following open-ended question: “What facilities are needed for today’s and future’s students, teachers, and local residents?”. Both the boards of education and schools are considered key players in finding answers, and since schools are expected to partake in discussions about new building design, further research on the roles of schools in this context is warranted. Horizontal relationships at both the national and local governmental levels also play an increasingly important role in current times. First, the MEXT currently continuously keeps watch on the issues of other ministries, such as national resilience and carbon neutrality. Second, the disaster prevention sections of local governments currently show great interest in school facilities, as they can serve as shelters during disaster situations. Therefore, further research on horizontal relationships should be conducted. 　Keywords: School Facilities, National Subsidy, Intergovernmental Relation, Local Governments’ Autonomy

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