30% of children in low-income families miss out on extracurriculars: survey
Among the low-income households that had reduced spending on extracurricular activities, 76.5% cited the rising prices for necessities as a factor.
According to a survey conducted by Chance for Children, a Tokyo-based public interest incorporated association, nearly one-third of children from low-income households did not participate in any extracurricular activities over the past year. The research, which surveyed 7,374 parents nationwide, revealed significant disparities in children's access to learning opportunities through activities such as lessons, school clubs, volunteer work, travel, and visits to arts and cultural events.
Low-income households, defined as those with annual incomes below ¥3 million ($19,000), had a 30.5% participation rate in such activities, compared to a 14.1% participation rate among households with annual incomes of at least ¥6 million. The average annual spending on extracurricular activities was about ¥44,000 for low-income households, while it was about ¥117,000 for higher-income households.
One major factor contributing to these disparities is the rising cost of necessities, which 76.5% of low-income households cited as the reason for reducing their spending on out-of-school activities. Yusuke Imai, the representative director of Chance for Children, emphasized that the disparities in children's opportunities stem from differences in families' living circumstances and called for greater support from national and local governments to address these inequalities and uphold children's right to learn.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
