Make North Korean High Schools Tuition-Free before the Graduation!: A human chain formed around the education ministry

Persistent efforts have been made to include North Korean schools in the free program for public high schools. On March 1, protesters surrounded the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in at 4 p.m. and a rally was held in Yoyogi Koen Park in Shibuya Ward later in the evening. The participants were 250 and 1530 respectively.

Under the law that took effect in April 2010, foreign schools, including international schools, are eligible for the tuition waiver program if their curricula are recognized as equivalent to those of Japanese high schools. Most of such schools have already been included in the program. However, the procedures to include Korean schools known as "Chosen Gakko" have been suspended. The official status is that the screening of the curriculum has not been completed.

Two batches of students graduated without being benefited from the program. The current school year is about to end. Still, no moves have been made by the education ministry.

(By YUMOTO Masanori)

*Photo: Protest at the education ministry

 

卒業までに朝鮮学校への高校無償化適用を！～文科省包囲行動行われる

この間、ストップされている朝鮮学校への高校無償化適用手続きをこれ以上のばさないでほしいという取り組みが、繰り返し粘り強く行われている。3月1日には、夕方4時からの文部科学省前での「文科省包囲行動」250名、6時すぎからの渋谷区代々木公園集会に1530名が参加した。

高校無償化が始まって3年目を迎える。朝鮮高校以外のアメリカンスクールなどの民族学校にはすでに無償化は実行されている。民族学校の中で「朝鮮学校」のみが排除され、「審査会」にかけられたままになっている。その間2回の卒業式があった。そして今年の卒業式も、もう目前に控えているのに政府は何ら動きを見せていない。 （湯本雅典）

＊写真＝文科省前で声上げる