Kids from poor families in Japan tend to find school less enjoyable

For some, it might be surprising but there are hundreds of thousands of poor families in Japan. This news in Mainichi displays a survey results that shows how low-income families’ children feel at school:

Children from financially struggling families are more likely to feel that school is not fun, a survey of some 6,000 parents and children from impoverished households has found.

• 88.3% of the children answered that school was "not fun at all"

• 20% of elementary school students and 40% of junior high school students said they did not understand classes.

Usnova, a Tokyo group helping poor kids, surveyed over 14,000 low-income families in late 2023. These families were really struggling, with an average yearly income of about $11,400 and most having less than $3,200 saved. Given that these are quite low incomes in the country’s reality, they were asked whether there was someone they could turn to in times of trouble. The results mostly pointed that the lower the annual income, the more likely the guardians had no one to rely on.

In my opinion, many Japanese feel that poverty is a personal failure, which can lead to feelings of shame and isolation. Children from impoverished backgrounds are more likely to face bullying, low self-esteem, and feelings of isolation. Moreover Japanese families with poor incomes tend to conceal financial difficulties from others, too. This is a result of a desire to avoid judgment perhaps. After nearly seven years here, I believe that cultural factors as these negatively impact the school experience and academic performance of students from low-income families. The survey points out some ugly reality at the end.