(2007.4.1 Update)

Education for Children

The school education in Japan includes 6 years of elementary school, 3 years of junior high school, 3 years of high school, and 4 or 2 years of university or college respectively. The elementary school and junior high school are the compulsory education. There are city-run and private preschools for children before elementary school.

Elementary School & Junior High School (compulsory)

1) Qualification: Being registered as a foreign resident

2) Terms: Each year starts in April and ends in March. Most of the schools have 3 semesters in a year and 3 vacation periods between the semesters.

3) Details

Elementary school: 6 years old children as of April/1

Junior High school: 12 years old children as of April/1

Please go to School Education Division (Gakko-kyoiku-ka), Chino City Hall with the child’s Foreign Registration Certificate (Gaikokujin-toroku-shomeisho) and apply for schooling. Based on the application, School Education Division will later decide and inform you of a school for the child.

Admission fee, tuition fee, and text books are free of charge. Costs for school-provided lunch and learning material will be charged individually. You will be asked to open an account at a designated bank and payment will be done by account transfer.

Schools will provide lunch on school days.

Home visit: In April or May, a school teacher visits children’s homes to talk with the parents.

Also School picnics, an athletic meet, classroom visitations, and school trips (in 6th grade of elementary school and 3rd grade of junior high school) will be held.

Contact

School Education Division (Gakko-kyoiku-ka), Chino City Hall:   Tel. 0266-72-2101 extension #602

High School (not compulsory)

1)Qualification: Being registered as a foreign resident

2)Options: There are prefectural and private high schools. Courses vary depending on the school. For those who are working during the day, evening high school is available. Entrance exam and classes are in Japanese.

3)Expenses: Admission fee, tuition fee, and the cost for text books and learning material will be charged individually. Reserve fund for a school trip or cultural events, or other expenses may also be charged individually. For ones who are having difficulty paying the tuition fee, tuition fee exemption programs or scholarship programs are available.

Contact

Prefectural high schools:

Each high school or

Senior High School Division (Koko-kyoiku-ka),

Nagano Prefectural Office:   Tel. 026-235-7430

Private high schools:

Each high school or Promotion office for private school education (Shigaku-kyoiku-ka),
Nagano Prefectural Office:   Tel. 026-235-7058