initiatives which contribute to the vitalization of local communities in particular.

## ○ Improving the quality of baccalaureate degree program (undergraduate department) education

To improve the quality of education, the revisions to the Standards for the Establishment of Universities from July 2007 made the implementation of faculty development at university undergraduate departments mandatory. It also offered new regulations concerning the clarification of the objectives for education and research (refer to Part 2, Chapter 1, Section 1-3).

Moreover, on September 18, 2007 a subcommittee of the Subdivision on Universities of the Central Council for Education released a report on the progress of deliberations entitled “Toward the Rebuilding of Baccalaureate Degree Program Education.” The report presents policies that the national government, universities, and others should work to address in the form of a basic philosophy that aims to establish baccalaureate degree education focused on matters like learning achievements and which pass muster internationally (refer to Part 2, Chapter 3, Section 1-1).

## ○ Fostering the physicians that will undertake community medicine, etc

On May 31, 2007 the government and ruling party compiled the “Measures for an Urgent Increase of Doctors” to respond to current conditions in which there is a shortage of doctors in communities and certain hospital departments. Following on from this, MEXT has been promoting various measures designed to secure doctors in local communities, such as by working with the relevant government ministries and agencies toward temporary emergency personnel increases at medical faculties and the expansion of regional frameworks.

## (6) Improving educational functions of the family and of the community

## ○ Creating a system to support school education throughout the entire community

In cooperation with support groups like boards of education, PTAs, and local companies, MEXT aims to erect collaborations between schools and communities, while also promoting the creation of a system to support school education throughout the entire community at the unit of lower secondary school districts.

## ☐ Promotion of the “After-school Plan for Children”

The “After-school Plan for Children,” a set of comprehensive measures targeting the time after school, has been deployed nationwide since FY2007 in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. The plan consists of efforts to establish safe and secure bases for the activities of children utilizing spare classrooms at elementary schools after school, on weekends and so forth, and to promote various hands-on activities, exchange activities, learning activities, and so forth, obtaining the participation of various community members (refer to Part 2, Chapter 1, Section 3-1).

## ○ Creating a foundation supporting home education in communities

MEXT is resolved to facilitate the creation of foundations which will underpin home education across entire communities. This will be done by creating a structure in which local human resources with experience and specialized knowledge related to child rearing take the lead in offering finely-tuned support for home education, such as by providing information and learning opportunities and enhancing counseling systems.

## (7) Reducing educational costs

## ○ Reducing educational costs on parents, etc

The regulations in Article 26 of the Constitution and Article 4 of the revised Basic Act on Education require that attempts be made for equal opportunity in education. According to various public opinion surveys on child rearing, trends to the effect that numerous people are uneasy about how much education will cost in the future, and that there are many people who list enhancing economic support as an important countermeasure for the trend toward fewer children per family have been observed. Therefore, MEXT is working to reduce the educational costs on parents and the like through the various measures listed below.

## • Subsidies for guardians with children entering kindergarten

This aids those local governments that are conducting the “Kindergarten Stipend Program,” which is designed to reduce the economic burdens on parents of kindergarteners, among other goals, by