Education minister says it is against law to refuse to deliver diplomas because of overdue tuition

Japan Press Weekly

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Education minister says it is against law to refuse to deliver diplomas because of overdue tuition

Education Minister Shionoya Ryu said it is against the law to take away diplomas from high school graduates for not paying overdue amounts of tuition.

He stated this in answer to Japanese Communist Party representative Ishii Ikuko at a meeting of the House of Representatives Committee on Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology on March 25.

Ishii raised this question because there have been a number of cases in which diplomas have been taken away from graduating students who were in arrears on tuition payments.

She asked, "Isn't this illegal?"

Shionoya in response gave the view that it is a problem to be dealt with from a legal point of view by stating, " Article 58 of the Ordinance for Enforcement of the School Education Act requires schools to give diplomas to all students who completed a required course."

The ministry's Elementary and Secondary Education Bureau chief also said, "Unpaid tuition fees are not the fault of individual students."

Referring to possible refusals to allow students to attend entrance ceremonies because of their being in arrears with admission fees, the minister said, "It is necessary to give full consideration to the sentiments of students," and promised to give appropriate advice and instruction to each school board.

Japan's school year generally ends in March.

- Akahata, March 26, 2009