Low Quota for Foreign Students in Japanese High Schools

The Ministry of Education calls on education boards in Japan's 47 prefectures to ensure that public high schools accept foreigners, stressing the importance of upper secondary schooling for work opportunities. However, there are challenges in accommodating the increasing number of foreign students who need Japanese language instruction, with some facing dropout rates higher than the overall high school student population.

In Ibaraki Prefecture, Ishigeshiho High School provides Japanese language lessons to around 100 foreign students from 15 countries, acknowledging the difficulty in perfectly supporting all foreign students. Private high schools and international schools are options for foreign resident students, but they are often expensive or scarce. There is a recognized need for supportive measures for foreign students enrolled in high schools.

Paraphrased:

A recent survey by Kyodo News found that only 20% of public high schools in Japan have established quotas for admitting foreign students in their entrance exams, despite government guidance to do so. Concerns have been raised about the ability of schools to provide proper Japanese language instruction to these students, due to challenges with accommodating varying levels of proficiency and finding interpreters for different foreign languages.

The Ministry of Education emphasizes the importance of upper secondary schooling for work opportunities and urges education boards in Japan's prefectures to ensure that public high schools accept foreigners. However, there are evident difficulties in meeting the needs of the increasing number of foreign students requiring Japanese language instruction, with some facing higher dropout rates compared to overall high school students.

In Ibaraki Prefecture, Ishigeshiho High School currently has around 100 foreign students from 15 countries, offering two hours of Japanese language lessons per week to those in need. The school acknowledges the difficulty in fully supporting all foreign students, and private high schools or international schools are alternative options, although they come with their own challenges. There is an acknowledged requirement for supportive measures for foreign students enrolled in high schools.