In Japan, an increasing number of parents are choosing to send their children to alternative “free schools,” which offer unique teaching methods from countries like the U.S. and Australia, bypassing traditional elementary schools entirely.
This decision is sparking controversy, as these free schools are often seen as a solution for children who have stopped attending school due to bullying or other issues. However, many parents and staff at free schools argue that the current system is outdated and fails to accommodate educational diversity.
Free schools in Japan are not formally defined in legal terms. However, the education ministry generally classifies them as private institutions that provide educational activities, counseling, and hands-on experiences for children who are not enrolled in regular schools. Unlike traditional schools, free schools are not required to follow a set curriculum, offering a wide range of learning experiences instead.
One example is the Tokyo Community School (TCS) in Nakano Ward, which offers small-group education. Each grade, equivalent to first through sixth grade in elementary school, accepts only up to nine students. TCS emphasizes deep learning on specific themes and encourages mixed-age activities. The school was founded in 2004 by Kazuyuki Kubo, a businessman who was inspired by Fitzroy Community School in Melbourne, Australia.
Initially, TCS had only three students, but it has since grown to 50 students, with 98% of them having never attended a regular elementary school. According to Kubo, a shift in parental attitudes is driving this change. Many parents now feel that traditional schools do not foster self-expression and may stifle a child’s desire to learn. In conventional schools, children are often expected to memorize lessons and conform to standardized behavior, something many parents view as outdated.
However, free schools like TCS are not legally recognized as elementary schools under Japan’s School Education Act. As a result, students must still be enrolled in a local public school and report their attendance at free schools to receive a graduation certificate. This has led to disputes over enrollment procedures.
Case of Disagreement Over School Enrollment
Atsushi Kawai, 46, a business owner in Nakano Ward, encountered such challenges when he tried to enroll his 8-year-old daughter, Ao, in TCS two years ago. Kawai offered Ao a choice between several schools, including a local public school. Ao chose TCS, but when Kawai informed the local education board, he was told that the school was intended for children who had stopped attending school, which could violate compulsory education laws.
Frustrated by this response, Kawai moved his family to Nakano Ward, where a local elementary school agreed to enroll Ao. Without attending a single day at the school, Ao continued her studies at TCS. “I enjoy the morning meetings where we can share our thoughts. Going camping is a lot of fun. I don’t think I want to go to another school,” Ao said. Kawai added, “It’s not healthy for a child to be restricted to public education alone. I want a society where children can choose their educational path from the beginning.”
The practice of not attending an elementary school from the outset is known as “sekkyokuteki futoko” (proactive school nonattendance), while students who stop attending school due to bullying or other issues are referred to as “futoko” (school nonattendance).
Kubo explained that many parents turn to schools like TCS out of necessity, not by choice. These families often struggle to find a suitable fit for their child in traditional schools, especially if the child has had trouble adjusting in kindergarten or has a personality that doesn’t align with the conventional structure of public schools.
Financial Challenges for Families Choosing Free Schools
TCS charges an annual tuition of approximately 1 million yen (about $6,700), which can be a significant financial burden for families. Public support for free schools remains limited, and while some local governments offer subsidies, the cost is still prohibitive for many families.
Rising School Nonattendance Cases
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) reports that the number of students not attending elementary school reached a record high of 130,370 in 2023, marking an increase for the 11th consecutive year. However, the exact number of children who choose free schools from the start is unclear, as no official statistics are kept on these students.
The 2017 law on securing educational opportunities emphasized the need for diverse learning options for students not attending school. Although some local governments have responded by offering support for children attending free schools, there is still a lack of widespread understanding and acceptance of proactive school nonattendance.
An education ministry official stated, “Free schools have no legal guarantees regarding the quality of education, making it difficult to compare them to regular schools. While free schools can provide learning opportunities, choosing them from the beginning could violate compulsory school attendance laws.”
Seeking Alternative Learning Paths
The GIFT School, founded in 2021 in Minato Ward, Tokyo, offers another example of alternative education. Inspired by the New School in Syracuse, New York, the school promotes inclusive learning for children of various ages. Of the 18 students at GIFT, about half have never attended a traditional elementary school.
Naoki Tomita, the school’s representative, also faced resistance when trying to enroll his daughter in a public school before sending her to GIFT. Despite the initial denial, after much discussion, the school allowed her to attend on the condition that both Tomita and his daughter attend an interview. Tomita believes it is unreasonable to deny children diverse educational opportunities before they encounter problems in regular schools.
He pointed out that the current system forces children to attend public schools first, which may cause unnecessary distress before alternative options are considered. “It is unreasonable to restrict children’s learning choices until after they have been harmed in a regular school,” he said.
While many parents are eager to explore free schools for their children from the start, the financial burden remains a significant challenge. “The basic premise of compulsory education is to provide equal access, but only families who can afford it are able to pursue these alternative options,” Tomita noted.
Yuu Numazawa, a graduate of Shonan Sudbury School in Kanagawa Prefecture, believes that proactive school nonattendance should be based on the child’s choice, not solely the parents’ decision. “It isn’t about parents preventing their child from attending regular school; it’s about letting the child choose their educational path,” she explained. Numazawa hopes that in the future, children will be able to freely choose their educational options, eliminating the need for terms like “school nonattendance.”
