UN urges Japan to have child-friendly education system

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

UN urges Japan to have child-friendly education system

The U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child has recently made recommendations to the Japanese government to work to end the excessively competition-driven education system.

This is the third recommendation following the one in 1998 and another in 2004.

The committee expressed concern about the insufficient welfare and social services program providing assistance to children amid the growing poverty rate in Japan. The committee called on the Japanese government to work out and implement a budgetary policy that puts priority on the rights of children.

The committee also recommended that Japan strengthen its efforts to promote the rights of children to express their opinions at schools and in the decision-making process concerning social services.

The committee pointed out that the excessively competitive education system in Japan may be contributing to negative effects such as bullying, mental disorders, refusal to go to school, school dropouts, and suicides.

- Akahata, June 27, 2010