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Pay Air-Conditioning Expenses, or Leave School

2004.03.03

Osaka Prefectural High School Teachers and Staff’s Union
3   March   2004
   Uncivilized society
What would you do if your children were told to leave school when you could not pay air-conditioning expenses?No civilized society would tolerate any such absurdity. In fact, that’s what is going to be done by the government of Osaka prefecture.
 The end of money is the end of love
Osaka prefecture in western Japan is very high in both temperature and humidity, especially in the summer. Therefore, it may not be a matter of surprise that the government of Osaka prefecture has decided that almost all ordinary schoolrooms in their high schools are going to be air-conditioned this summer, but it is surprising that the annual expenses of 5,400 yen per student for air-conditioning must be paid by parents and that if parents don’t pay the expenses their children will have to leave school. Have you ever heard of heating expenses being paid by parents in Hokkaido, which is colder than any other prefecture in Japan?  Of course not!
Osaka prefecture’s poor excuse
The school board of Osaka prefecture will impose air-cooling expenses on parents, in addition to the annual school fees of 144,000 yen per student, based on the claim they are improving the present learning conditions and the principle that every student, as a beneficiary, should pay for the expenses.
The misgovernment of Osaka prefecture: the cause of various problems
Osaka prefecture has various problems: desperate financial straits, the second highest unemployment rate, and the second shortest life expectancy in Japan. Osaka prefectural high schools also face a lot of problems: the highest public school fees in Japan, more than 20% reduction rate of school fees, large-sized classes consisting of as many as 40 students, and more than 10,000 graduates from junior high schools refused  admission almost every year. These problems have resulted mainly from the misgovernment of Osaka prefecture, including the red-carpet treatment of large enterprises and public undertakings.
Don’t make parents pay air-conditioning expenses!
Our union strongly opposes parents having to pay air-conditioning expenses. If the education administration doesn’t stop parents’ payment of the expenses to protect students’ right to learn at high schools, they should be regarded as uncivilized and cold -hearted.