“Contemporary” Problems of Poverty and Issues on Education Security－With Focus on Education Allowance/School Expense Subsidy Institutions－(1) Realities of Guardian’s Expenditure for Raising Children (Burden of Child Support +Educational Expenses)① Appreciation in expenditures for raising children － part of the reason for the society withfewer children?
Cf: ”Estimation Results by AIU Insurance Co.”
Birth Trend Basic Research (National Institute of Population and Social Security
Research)② Index showing an increase in poverty group
Ratio of family on the daily life protection subsidy: 1 in every 1000 households in 2003
Number of households on the daily life protection subsidy, being record-high, at 941,270(increases in old-age-single households, and mother-children households, etc.)(2) Education Allowance and School Expense Subsidy System① Schemes of Education Allowance and School Expense Subsidy
1) The education allowance is based on “Daily Life Protection Law” (May 4, 1950) to meetthe purpose of securing for all citizens a minimum life and assisting an autonomy byproviding a required protection in compliance with poverty level, established on the ground ofArticle 25 of the Constitution that secures for them “the right to live a minimum level ofhealthy and cultural life”. In addition to the allowance for livelihood and housing, etc., asubsidy for expenses necessary for compulsory education is provided to protected homes withchildren/pupils in ages for compulsory education (Welfare office under the jurisdiction ofMinistry of Health and Welfare)2) The school expense subsidy = an education allowance for households of more moderatelevel of poverty than ones on the daily life protection subsidy (Education board under thejurisdiction of MEXT)*Households on the daily life protection subsidy
Disparity by region: Tokyo Pref. in average

1.49 per 1000 households

Ota Word

1.66

Setagaya Word0.67*Number of children/pupils on the education allowance and school expense subsidy:
1,250 thousand across the nation in 2003
Cf: Shibuya Word “Information on School Expense Subsidy”
1(1)Standard for the quasi-supplement security income (school expense subsidy)(Unit: Approx. JP￥ in 10,000)
Number of Persons in Household

234

5

6/overElementary School

279

347

419

460

+55 per additional person

Junior High School

296

364

430

500

+55 per additional person(2) Subsidy content (○ to indicate items applied to households on the quasi-supplement securityincome)○ School and school-commuting supplies○ Supplies for fresh enrollment (new first-grader)○ School lunch
Out-of-school activities, excursion (junior high school), participation in guidance class (lodgment),club activities, illness/medical care in school, club camp (junior high school)(3) Subsidy amount (annual amount per household on the quasi-supplement security income)(Unit: JP￥in 10,000)
1st Grader 2nd Grader3rd Grader 4th Grader 5th Grader 6th GraderElementary Schoo

7.8

6.1

6.1

Junior High Schoo

11.4

9.1

14.6

6.6

7.1

8.6

② Problems on Institutions of Education Allowance and School Expense Subsidy
1) To curb the take-up ratio by “aptitude” measures for the supplement security income→ Information: “Narrowing Protection of ‘Fair Entitlement’”
2) Low welfare payment
3) Both education allowance and school expense subsidy being limited to compulsory education→ Problems for children of households in poverty to proceed to and attend high school andcollege(3) Problem on Advancing to High School from “Household on Supplement Security Income”
and Trial on “Education Endowment Insurance”① Case Background2

② Assertions by Both Sides and Court Decisions (the first trial at Fukuoka District Court in
1995, the second trial at Fukuoka High Court in 1998, and Supreme Court in 2004)③ Aftermath of the Supreme Court Verdict－Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Special Committee on the Modality of Supplement

Security Income Institution: Report (December 14, 2004)(4) Modality of Education AssistanceIn case children from households on the supplement security income go on to highschools, under the current system, the welfare gets granted only when they can covereducation expenditures by scholarship, money endowed for school attendance, and own
income. But from perspectives of a general hike in the ratio of high school attendance anda prevention of the “reproduction of the poverty”, advancing to high schools is considered
to be an effective means of letting children become independent and go to work. Accordingly, inview of assisting an independence of households with children on the welfare, the study should
be made for the supplement security income to accommodate expenditures for high schoolattendance.
(5) Modality of Asset Utilization
ア Bank deposits and postal savings
Regarding the amount of deposits and savings possible to retain (worth 1/2 of the minimum
livelihood expenditure, at present), its increase is likely to result in the independence in an
early stage, looking from the viewpoint of its requirement as an
operation fund right after receiving the welfare and a benefit of voluntary husbandry. A
specific limitation on the amount possible for the retention can be considered , in view of thenew Bankruptcy Act, up to the three-month worth of the minimum livelihood expenditure. But
there were opinions against such perspective because of a balance with general households,
national sentiments, and financial burdens on autonomous bodies, etc.
With respect to the retention of deposits and savings generated by the management ofwelfare payments while receiving those payments, as indicated in the verdict on theFukuoka education endowment insurance lawsuit, it is appropriate to accept theretention of what has been originated from the protected money and valuables incompliance with purposes and embodiments that meet the theme and purpose of Daily Life
Protection Law.

In this case, with due attentions to the securement of social fairness and thebalance with general households, considerations should be made, including the utilization ofdeposit systems, to ensure that the retained assets get dispended on applications/uses thatcount towards assisting independence.
(6) Contemporary “Poverty” and Issues on Education Security
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－Amendment of Equality of Educational Opportunity Theory－
Even today, there are sharp conflicts of opinions over ways and systems to guarantee rights forpeople with various handicaps including economic poverty.
There exist the following thoughts behind operations of the current education allowance/school
expense subsidy institutions:Firstly, based on the understanding the poverty is defined as a state below the margin of baresubsistence (starving poverty), basically such poverty has been liquidated in today’s society. The
gap in education levels has been narrowing down attributable to rising education standards anddesires for advancing to higher education, which are based on the increase in family incomes,
and those “poverty” homes incapable to finance private education expenses by themselves havebecome a minority of exceptional beings. Thus, specifying the target for relief is necessary toensure education for them, and such aid ought to be kept under the levels of life and education of
average citizens in view of the general public’s morals (“Principle of Less Eligibility”). Thesenotions, most likely to transform the education security institution for handicapped
homes/children to a kind of poor-relief system for a specified minority who is separated fromones in general conditions, cannot become an institution that is equipped with an essence toadequately cover the handicaps.
There are many to offer criticism to opinions described in the above. Against an assertion thatthe increase in family incomes and the expansion in educational opportunities have narrowed
down the gap in education levels, some point out that, under such circumstances, intensive
educational “discrimination” to children of low-income bracket gets fixed and the gap widens
among hierarchies. In this indication, the “poverty” is understood, not as a state below themargin of bare subsistence, but as a condition where a standard lifestyle, i.e. an average lifestyle,is deprived and unconsoled, and “unacceptable disparities” among disparities existing inindividuals and groups comprising a society are defined as a contemporary poverty(Deprivation= being deprived of rights). And the opinion lays down that such disparities areproblems broadly related to the socio-economic structure, and clearly claims administrative(correction) responsibilities of the government. From such perspective, improvements withspecial considerations are requested since the continued low rate of advancing to high schoolfrom households on welfare demonstrates a variety of education problems, which is regarded asan educationally deprived situation, i.e. that of being deprived of the right to education. Thistype of thought to secure the equality of educational opportunity has been developed as suchforms including a compensatory education or an aggressive differentiation policy in Europe andUSA since the 1960s.
(7) Emergence of Compensatory Education Policy
・”Battle against poverty”, “Cleanup of poverty”→ Emphasis on education as one of the4means of social policies to cut off “vicious circle of poverty” → To correct educational
disparities among social stratification and races
・Civil Rights Acts established in 1964 = To contain provisions to conduct researches andto repot to the Congress within two years whether or not there were “insufficient points inevery level of domestic public educational institutions based on reasons for races, colors ofskin, homes, and countries of origin regarding the equal use of educational opportunities byindividual”
・”Research on Equality of Educational Opportunity” under “Civil Rights Acts” → The
committee headed by James Coleman(Johns Hopkins University）officially announced“Report on Equality of Educational Opportunity” (Coleman Report).
→ Content of Coleman’s Report and Its Social Impact
・In terms of various conditions of schools, disparities among races and regions are
not significant;・Schools function to enlarge social stratification disparities rather than to correct
them (Gap in academic competence widens as grade advances.);・More than schools, homes/regional educations/cultures have basalis influences.
⇒ New Approaches to Policies on Equal Opportunities for Education (Compensatory
Education Policy and Head-Start Project)
In the background that the compensatory education has been adopted as a political issue
in Europe and USA since the 1960s had been criticisms and revisions regarding
conventional policies on equal opportunities for education.

Namely, the theory of theequal opportunities for education in a liberal society through traditional schools became
discredited due to the reality that schools were “ineffectual” in disparities among social
stratifications and the correction thereof. In other words, there was a strong correlation
among opportunities for education, educational achievements, and socioeconomic
stratifications, and because of that relation, schools were ineffectual to remedy social
inequity―so went the conclusion. These criticisms and revisions have come to pave theway for the compensatory education policy and the head-start project, etc., which approve
preferential investments to people and classes in socioeconomically and culturally
disadvantageous positions, to be justified and promoted.
(8) Criticism on Compensatory Education = Criticism of Merit System, and “A Theory of Justice” byJ. Rawls① Criticism that the compensatory education does not deny but “sanctifies” competition of meritsystem② Development genealogy of “liberty and equity” by Rawls
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(1) Natural Aristocracy = Moral responsibility possessed by privileged people with natural andsocial capabilities over those underprivileged. Such disparities incapabilities are accepted as they are and no restriction is imposed.
(2) System of Natural Liberty = Survival of the fittest in a capability-driven free (market) race isapproved right, and no consideration is made on disparities incapabilities or unfairness in racing.
(3) System of Liberalistic Equality = Modified version of (2) in the above; no change from (2) inapproving survival of the fittest in a capacity-driven free (market)
race; but this position considers to rectify disparities in capabilities
and unfairness pertaining to races, if any, and to originate a field forfairer races. = the compensatory education, the head-start project, etc.
*Problem Area → It is impossible to completely rectify social/natural accidents and various
conditions that generate disparities in capabilities.
↓(4) System of Democratic Equality = Proposal to supplement in full strength disparities andunfairness generated by social/natural accidents if these accidents
cannot be eliminated③ With respect to decisions on rights/duties of society, social benefit, and allocation ofsocial resources, Rawl makes his assertion in “A Theory of Justice” that influences
exerted by social/natural accidents such as birth and capability of an individual should beminimized, and that, with serious considerations on an individual’s diversity anduniqueness, sacrificing personal freedom/right for the promotion of socioeconomic
interest of all should not be permitted.
*To establish a conception of social welfare as right in pursuance of the logic of a social
contract by society members in a primordial condition

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