[MEXT] Results of the FY2020 Survey on the Current Status of School Libraries Released

On July 29, 2021, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) released the results of the Fiscal Year 2020 Survey on the Current Status of School Libraries.

MEXT has conducted this survey through prefectural boards of education and other relevant organizations for administrative reference.

The survey covers compulsory and secondary education schools, i.e., elementary, lower secondary, upper secondary, special-needs education. In addition, it finds out about the status of school libraries in terms of human and material resources and utilization and reading activities. A summary of the survey results is as follows.

  1. The percentages of schools with school librarians were 68.8%, 64.1%, and 63.0% for elementary, lower secondary, and upper secondary schools, respectively, an increase from the previous survey for elementary and lower secondary schools, but a decrease for upper secondary schools.
  2. The percentage of schools that have achieved the school library book standard increased to 71.2% and 61.1% in primary and lower secondary schools, respectively, but the rate is still insufficient.
  3. The percentage of schools that have newspapers in the library increased to 56.9%, 56.8%, and 95.1% in primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary schools, respectively.

In relation to children with disabilities, the percentage (%) of schools that have a diverse collection of books is as follows.

 

E-books

Braille Books

Enlarged Books etc.

Recorded Books

Multi-media

DAISY Books

Elementary

0.2

42.5

15.5

5.2

1.3

Lower secondary

0.3

19.6

16.5

5.7

1.0

Upper secondary

1.4

12.3

8.7

10.9

0.6

For more information, please visit the following websites (in Japanese only) https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/shotou/dokusho/link/1410430_00001.htm

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