LDP calls for free education among other areas of Constitution change

I love the idea of free education but how does a cash strapped govt. pay for it? Increase in taxes is probably the only way I can think of and it would probably have to be pretty big.

Speed Today  06:57 am JST

I love the idea of free education but how does a cash strapped govt. pay for it? 

As I understand it, public schools are already pretty cheap. The biggest expenses there are things like uniforms and juku. Private schools are another matter, and if the LDP is talking about making those free, then I can only conclude their intention is totally insincere - they're just floating uncontroversial ideas that no one actually intends to implement just to get people to listen to their militarization schemes.

But honestly a ton of money could probably be freed up with a very minor bit of regulation - require entrance exams to test knowledge and skills that students actually need to take the classes at that school, as opposed to ludicrously more advanced material that will be promptly forgotten because they're irrelevant to the curriculum.

Schools make difficult exams to weed out low-achieving students. As I understand the Japanese school ranking system, a school is ranked higher if more students apply vs. more students being rejected, so there is an incentive to test students on things like classical Japanese or English vocabulary and grammar far beyond what the school actually needs entrants to have in order to reject more people and raise the school's score. The only way to get this knowledge is to go to juku. However since the population is decreasing, enrollment is down, so many schools are accepting applicants with lower and lower scores anyway. The result is a system where students are pressured to memorize information they don't need to pass a test on information the school doesn't need, and will probably let a lot of them through anyway.

The only people who come out ahead on this inefficient system are juku operators. However since many juku teachers aren't even themselves qualified teachers, we shouldn't worry about their well-being. The juku system is a parasite on the Japanese educational system. Excising it would probably save billions.

This government is pure evil, they just want to divert the attention about the constitution amendment by adding something else to the equation. Not that they care a bit about education or the cost of it, they just want the public opinion to support their plan.

Free public education, K-12, would be a good starting point. But as katsu says, this does nothing to address the plague that is juku or extremely expensive but often superior private schools, both of which are only options for families with means. I'd add that it'd be nice to have a broader discussion about whether the be all and end all of Japanese education should be the entrance exam.

The LDP has no interest in expanding free education. They have never included it as a policy during elections, nor have they budgeted for it. If they really want to do it why don't they include it in next year's budget? Nothing is stopping them, apart from the fact they don't believe in it.

This is a classic LDP "bait and switch" operation. They promise this to gain the support of the Japan Innovation Party. In return the JIP will be expected to support revision of other articles that the LDP does want to change.

But you can be 100% sure that the free education provision will not be the first constitutional change to be voted on. First it will be changes to Article 9, or similar. Once that is passed the free education amendment will suddenly become "difficult" and the LDP will drop it. They did exactly the same with their Komeito stooges: lots of promises that were dropped as soon as Komeito came on board.

If LDP wants free education, do it now by enacting a law. They do not need to change the Constitution for free education.

Education is exploited as pretext to revise Constitution.

i personally believe every human being has the right to free education and healthcare.

that gives Abe only until 2020 to rewrite every textbook full of Nippon Kaigi drivel. that is a hell of a lot of overtime imposed on its lower ranks, i hope they get paid for their long hours creating this propaganda.

@zichi I will go one step further. lower the age of sexual consent to 17 year olds. if they become pregnant, give them a time out card. when the mother has a safe environment for her child(maybe she is 24), she should get totally free university education. She can then enter the work force and Japanese population can increase.

Education has been free in Australia since 1900, up to university and no one goes without, Uni degrees do cost but you can paid back the fee when you start earning $38,000 US a year. families that can afford text book and uniform do pay. Student have to wear a uniform unless your can not afford it or the school will provide for both. From 16 years all student receive their own Laptop. I think Australia is below 10 richest, It got nothing to do with being rich, I depend on how important a Country atitude is for a very good free education. For 24 million population Australia sure do punch well above their weight. Wi Fi and just recently solar plastic film that can be apply like wall paper, better conductor sun and filtered sun light on the market are just two of many technology Australian have invented. They just don,t ride on the back of mining resources. Japan being such a wealthy country should have free medical , free schools, free tollways and decent old age pension. Even if they not the equivalent to Australian standard there is really no excuses. Wake up Japanese Tax payers you deserve a way better deal. YOUR ELITE ARE RIPPING YOU OFF BLIND.

"...but Komeito, the LDP's junior coalition ally, was cautious about the idea amid concerns over how to fund such steps. The main opposition Democratic Party opposed the plan, saying that the issue can be dealt with by creating laws." Ha ha! DPJ are pretty smart to oppose instead of one-upping the government and offering to back such an idea. DPJ are prepared to be in opposition for decades to come. High five! Is Hatoyama still around? He through DPJ off the cliff and they keep falling. Happy day for democracy.

threw

@Scrote May 26 10:39 am JST

But you can be 100% sure that the free education provision will not be the first constitutional change to be voted on. First it will be changes to Article 9, or similar. Once that is passed the free education amendment will suddenly become "difficult" and the LDP will drop it. They did exactly the same with their Komeito stooges: lots of promises that were dropped as soon as Komeito came on board.

Probably not. The usual legislative tactic is to wrap popular articles with unpopular ones in a quid pro quo. They'll be voted on in one big amendment.