Gov't approves free preschool education program starting Oct 2019

With this move came massive spending by kindergartens and preschools this year, in order to be up to par for inspections and qualify for the new substities.

About time!! Where were these clowns when my kids were going to pre-school?? Well, better late than never.

The Japanese government on Friday formally approved the details of a program that will expand child care and higher education support, including free public preschool education for all children aged between 3 and 5, beginning in October 2019.

Anyone notice the start date? October 2019. Government approved funding. Why "suddenly" now?

This program coincides with the rise in the consumption tax. The 2% increase is going to be used to fund child care and higher education costs for qualifying institutions.

Hence as well the cluster-fruck of other temporary assists with house loans, cars, food being exempt, etc, to help keep complaints from people who don have kids quiet. (The old folks are the ones the LDP relies on)

Gov't approves free preschool education program starting Oct 2019

Nothing the government does is ever free.

Why not January 2? With the World Cup and all that, this will be forgotten.

the government will also make day care services free for children up to age 2 from October if they come from low-income households

So, if you think about this, it means nothing. It’s only for low income families, right? Low income families would onky need daycare services for babies (under 2 y/o) so the mother could work, which would change their status from a low income family and they would have to pay for it. Add to this that fact that ‘public’ daycare facilities are full and have waiting lists of 3-5 years and this is nothing more than a lip-service initiative.

The senior high school scholarships are pretty much the same. Most low income families would be struggling to pay for the ‘not-so-free’ public high school anyway.

This might seem seem like the government is trying to help, but there are very few people who will benefit from this at all.

Sheesh!! Right AFTER my son finishes preschool!!

Can't seem to catch a break!

:-)

That said, calling it "free" is a complete lie.

It's not free. SOMEONE has to pay for it. And that would the government, and, therefore, the taxpayers.

At least say that it will be "government funded".

Making hoikuen or yochien free for all will save many families 200,000 to 300,000 a year. Over 80% of the kids on waiting lists are under 3, so it is only certain places where people can't get their kids into nensho to nencho classes. The "low income" provisions may be limited, but this will benefit many.

Personally I think the focus on childcare and preschools is misguided. Many families in the West do not come out ahead once the cost of childcare is subtracted from the lower parent's salary. People (women) still work though, because it has long term benefits for career development. In Japan, there seems to be a stupid idea that the mother can put the child in care, do whatever low-paid work has convenient hours, and still come out most of their low salary ahead. The should-be-obvious problem is that once the child joins school, the women face another twelve years (actually a lifetime) of low pay, which does not go very far when you are raising a family. Heavily subsidized childcare only works as a sticking plaster for a year or two.

my 3.8 year old boy stays with me all the time. I believe in home education.

The fee of the school is base on your yearly incomes.

Somehow this is right and wrong, because... it takes from past year, when my wife got the second one... she took 14 months off from her job... (she didn't get pay for few months) yet ... i had to pay FULL price for my other child which was 20000 yens. Now they both go to school and i'm paying 30000 yens (the scond child is half price)

The fee of the school is base on your yearly incomes.

In Japan, there are two types of preschool. 保育園 (ほいくえん hoikuen) is a nursery. They take care of your children, and the rate is based on income. 幼稚園 (ようちえん youchien) is a preschool (more educational), and the rates are not based on income.

yeah i forgot to mention "hoikuen" in my case.