November 28, 2020
Education Minister Hagiuda Koichi on November 27 in response to a demand by a Japanese Communist Party lawmaker at a House of Representatives committee meeting announced that the ministry in December will redistribute emergency benefits to students facing financial difficulties due to the pandemic. This measure was called for by the JCP and the Democratic Youth League of Japan.
As a corona-related measure, the government introduced a program to provide 100,000 yen to students who are struggling to continue their studies for financial reasons, such as a loss of income from a part-time job due to the pandemic.
The government, however, ended this program in September. Since then, the JCP, the DYLJ, and civil groups supporting those students have urged the government to resume and expand the program.
At the November 27 Lower House Education Committee meeting, Hagiuda said that the ministry will provide contingency funds to students in need of financial support based on the results of a survey which the ministry conducted through tertiary institutions. He also expressed his intent to implement measures to prevent students from giving up studying due the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
JCP Hatano Kimie referred to a DYLJ survey indicating that 15% of students in Kanagawa Prefecture feed themselves on less than 300 yen a day. She urged the minister to utilize the 10-trillion-yen reserve funds earmarked under the 2020 second supplementary budget and provide monetary support to all students in need.
Past related article:
> DYLJ provides food assistance to students struggling amid COVID-19 pandemic [September 30, 2020]
As a corona-related measure, the government introduced a program to provide 100,000 yen to students who are struggling to continue their studies for financial reasons, such as a loss of income from a part-time job due to the pandemic.
The government, however, ended this program in September. Since then, the JCP, the DYLJ, and civil groups supporting those students have urged the government to resume and expand the program.
At the November 27 Lower House Education Committee meeting, Hagiuda said that the ministry will provide contingency funds to students in need of financial support based on the results of a survey which the ministry conducted through tertiary institutions. He also expressed his intent to implement measures to prevent students from giving up studying due the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
JCP Hatano Kimie referred to a DYLJ survey indicating that 15% of students in Kanagawa Prefecture feed themselves on less than 300 yen a day. She urged the minister to utilize the 10-trillion-yen reserve funds earmarked under the 2020 second supplementary budget and provide monetary support to all students in need.
Past related article:
> DYLJ provides food assistance to students struggling amid COVID-19 pandemic [September 30, 2020]
