More than 800,000 people’s highest education are "elementary school graduates": in their 10s and 20s, to get education is an issue

Recently NHK News on-line reported the following:

最終学歴「小卒」が80万人余 10、20代も 学びの確保が課題に

2022年6月18日 5時39分

中学校まで通えずに小学校卒業が最終学歴となっている人について、国が初めて調査したところ、全国で80万人余りに上ることが分かりました。

80代以上が多い一方で10代や20代の若者もいて、義務教育を受けられなかった人たちへの学びの確保が課題となっています。

80代以上が9割

先月公表された国勢調査では、小学校卒業が最終学歴となっている人について国内の人数が初めて調べられ、おととし10月時点で80万4293人いることが分かりました。

年代別にみると、80代以上が全体の9割を占めていて、戦前の教育制度の違いや、戦後の混乱などが背景にあると見られています。

年代別で見ると

一方、

50代では6663人、

40代では6163人、

30代では4221人、

20代では2508人、

15歳以上20歳未満では302人と、

若い世代でも義務教育を受けられていない人がいます。

全体では外国人が占める割合は2.5％ですが、50代以下では50％余りが外国人となっています。

また、従来から調査されている小学校も通えていない未就学者は9万4455人となっています。

国は、さまざまな事情で十分な教育を受けられなかった人の学びの機会を保障するため、全国の教育委員会に「夜間中学」の設置を呼びかけ、この春も新たに4校開校しましたが、15都道府県にとどまっていて学びの支援が課題となっています。

「夜間中学」設置は15都道府県にとどまる

都道府県別にみると、最終学歴が小学校卒業となっている人が最も多かったのは北海道で5万4000人余り、次いで愛知県で3万6000人余り、新潟県で3万5000人余り、大阪府が3万4000人近くとなっています。

一方で、義務教育を受けられなかった人たちが学ぶ「夜間中学」を設置しているのは、この春に北海道などで開校した4校を含めても15都道府県の40校にとどまっています。

夜間中学がない地域のうち、宮城県仙台市や静岡県など3県で来年や再来年に開校するほか、鳥取県や群馬県など6県で、これから開校に向けて検討が進められています。

しかし、最終学歴が小学校卒業の人が多くいる愛知県や新潟県を含む23県では、設置の時期など具体的な見通しが立っていないということで、文部科学省は今回の調査結果を受けて、全国の教育委員会に夜間中学の設置や充実に取り組むよう文書で通知しました。

専門家「多様なニーズに合わせ 学びを保障する必要」

子どもの貧困や学校教育に詳しい立命館大学の柏木智子教授は「外国人の未就学は課題として指摘されており想定されていたが、50代以下の世代で日本人でも同程度ぐらいが『小卒』という状況にあるのは憂慮すべき事態だ。もっと早くからこうした実態把握をすべきだった。最終学歴が大卒の人と比べると生涯賃金に大きな差があり、貧困状態にも陥りやすく自分自身が望む生き方ができない状況に陥ることが想定される。格差の是正という意味でも一人ひとりを取り残さない教育が求められる」と指摘しました。

そして「夜間中学は重要な学び直しの機会を保障する場で、設置を進めるべきだが、仕事や子育てで通いにくい人や一度学校に通うのをやめた人たちが再び通学することには大きなハードルもあり、公的サービスにより多様なニーズに合わせて学びを保障する必要がある」と話しています。

Translation

The first national survey on those who had not attended junior high school and their highest academic level were elementary school graduation revealed that there were more than 800,000 people nationwide. 

While many were in their 80s or older, there were also young people in their teens and 20s, and securing education for those who could not receive compulsory education was an issue.

 90% of people were in their 80s and above

A census released last month for the first national survey on people who graduated from elementary school as their final education stood, the number was 804,293 as of October the year before last.

By age group, people in their 80s and above accounted for 90% of the total, and it was believed that the background was the difference in the prewar education system and the confusion after the war.

By age group

on the other hand,

6,663 people in their 50s,

6,163 people in their 40s,

4,221 people in their 30s,

2,508 people in their 20s,

302 people between the ages of 15 and 20

Even among the younger generations there were people who had not received the compulsory education.

While foreigners accounted for 2.5% of the total, for foreigners in their 50s or under, they occupied more than 50%.

In addition, in a past survey the number of preschoolers who have not attended even the elementary schools was 94,455.

The government called on the Board of Education nationwide to establish a "Night junior high school" in order to guarantee learning opportunities for those who had not received sufficient education due to various reasons, and while four new schools were opened this spring, support for learning remained an issue in 15 prefectures.

"Night junior high school" was set up in 15 prefectures only

By prefecture, the largest number of people with the final academic level at graduation from elementary school was Hokkaido with more than 54,000 people, followed by Aichi prefecture with more than 36,000 people, Niigata prefecture with more than 35,000 people, and Osaka prefecture had nearly 34,000 people.

On the other hand, only 40 "Night junior high schools" had been set up in 15 prefectures for those who could not receive compulsory education, including 4 schools that opened in Hokkaido this spring.

Of the areas where there was no night junior high school, in 3 prefectures including Sendai City of Miyagi Prefecture and Shizuoka Prefecture would open schools next year and the year after next, and six prefectures such as Tottori Prefecture and Gunma Prefecture were considering opening the schools.

However, in 23 prefectures including Aichi and Niigata prefectures where many people had graduated from elementary schools only, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology upon receiving the results of this survey and also because there was no concrete outlook for the timing of setting up schools, had informed the Board of Education nationwide in writing to work on the establishment and enhancement of night junior high school.

Expert: "Need to ensure learning according to diverse needs”

Professor Tomoko Kashiwagi of Ritsumeikan University who was familiar with child poverty and school education said "while foreigners do not go to school as an issue has been pointed out and expected, yet even Japanese people in their 50s or younger are similar and merely were "elementary school graduates " is a worrying situation. We should have grasped this situation earlier. There is a big difference in lifetime wages comparing them to those who have university academic backgrounds, it is assumed that they will easily fall into poverty and will not be able to live the way they want. Also, in a sense to correct disparities, we need an education that does not leave even one person behind. "

She also said "Night junior high school is a place that guarantees important opportunities for re-learning, and it should be set up. For those who have difficulty in attending school due to work or raising children or those who have once stopped attending school, there is also a big hurdle in going to school again. We need to ensure that learning will meet diverse needs through public services. "

              So, a government survey reveals that there are more than 800,000 people nationwide who are elementary schools graduates only, and some of them are young people. This is a shocking news to me as Japan is a rich country that can afford to provide compulsory education to all citizens.