Supporting everyone’s learning A new school building, the only public school in Saitama Prefecture, is completed during the night; many foreign students participate in the opening ceremony: Tokyo Shimbun TOKYO Web

The school building for Shibanishi Junior High School Yoshun Branch (Shibazono-cho, Saitama Prefecture), the only public night junior high school in the prefecture in Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture, has been completed, and students have begun studying this month. According to the city, it is rare for a public night junior high school to have its own school building. A dedication ceremony for the new school building was held on the 19th, attended by guests including Mayor Nobuo Okunoki, and students, mostly foreign nationals. (Ao Ida)

When night junior high schools were first established, they were mainly aimed at people who were unable to complete compulsory education during the post-war period of turmoil. In recent years, the role of support for foreigners living in Japan has increased, in addition to people who want to re-study for various reasons such as not attending school.

Yoshun Branch School opened in 2019 as the first public night junior high school in the prefecture. Until now, the school had been using a dormitory building from a closed high school in the city. The new school building was constructed on the grounds of the former Shibazono Elementary School at a total project cost of approximately 1.2 billion yen. It is a two-story reinforced concrete building with a total floor area of ​​approximately 2,300 square meters. There will be 11 classrooms, as well as a music room, science room, and hall, which were not available before.

There are currently 49 students enrolled, 6 of whom are Japanese nationals. The remaining 43 people are from overseas, from 11 countries including China, the Philippines and Nepal, and they commute from outside the city. Night junior high school is for people over school age, so the students’ ages range from teens to 60s.

At the opening ceremony, Makolor Justindel (18), a third-year student who came to Japan from the Philippines three years ago, spoke on behalf of the students, saying, “I’m very happy to be able to study in such a beautiful school.” After the ceremony, she said, “She wants to go to high school and become a hairdresser in Japan.” One of the students, Saleem Awais (24) from Pakistan, who married in Japan and works in a used car sales business, said, “It was my first time to attend a ceremony in Japan and it was interesting. I want to do my best and get my junior high school diploma.” .

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology plans to establish at least one public night junior high school in each prefecture and designated city after the enforcement of the Educational Opportunity Security Act. As of 2023, there are a total of 44 schools in 17 prefectures nationwide.