OSAKA – The Osaka Prefectural Board of Education is planning to introduce a subsidized study abroad program aimed at improving English proficiency among high school students. The initiative will see all public high schools in the prefecture partnered with overseas schools, allowing students to study and engage in English for a week to 10 days.
Under the program, each participating school will send about 20 students to their sister schools abroad. The prefectural government will provide a subsidy of 100,000 yen (roughly $630) per student to cover part of the travel costs.
The goal of the initiative is to enhance English skills in preparation for the 2025 Osaka Expo. The prefectural government plans to fully implement the program by the 2028 academic year. According to the education board, such large-scale study abroad programs are uncommon in Japan.
By the 2025 academic year, Osaka will have 145 prefectural high schools. Currently, 49 of these schools already have sister-school relationships with institutions abroad. However, recent budget constraints due to rising travel costs have made it difficult for some schools to send students overseas. The new program will help ease this financial burden, with the prefecture covering most travel expenses, while families will need to cover any remaining costs.
The initiative will focus on countries where students can use English, including the United States, Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, and others. Schools that already have sister-school agreements will begin sending students abroad as early as 2025.
The education board has set aside approximately 260 million yen (about $1.62 million) for the program, including funds for private businesses that will help establish sister-school partnerships. The annual budget is expected to rise to around 500 million yen (approximately $3.18 million) by 2028.
The program comes as private high schools gain popularity in Osaka, especially following the introduction of a free tuition program. This has made it harder for public schools to attract students. To address this, the education board has introduced native English-speaking teachers at all public high schools and developed specialized apps to improve English education.
“With the Osaka Expo offering a unique opportunity to interact with people from around the world, we want to cultivate students who can excel internationally,” said a board official.
Related topics:
