[MEXT] Final Report Published on “ A New Era for School Facilities as Places of Learning”

On March 30, 2022, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) published the final report on “A New Era for School Facilities as Places of Learning.”

The report was prepared by the Research Cooperation Council on the State of School Facilities and approved on March 4, 2022 by the Division for the Study of School Facilities in the New Era established under the Council.

The report presents the following five directions for rethinking the value of real space with “futures thinking” and creating school facilities as a whole as places for learning.

  1. Learning:  To realize a flexible and creative learning space to enhance individually optimized learning and collaborative learning, the school facility should include:
  1. Classroom settings that enable diverse learning by arranging desks that support one learner per terminal environment.
  2. Multipurpose spaces that can flexibly accommodate individual and small-group learning, and spaces for learning support and educational consultation
  3. Lounge for faculty and staff communication and refreshment, video editing space (studio)
  1. Life:  To realize healthy learning in living spaces based on new lifestyles, the school facility should have:
  1. Warm living spaces that provide a place to stay (small classrooms and corners, use of wood in rooms)
  2. Air-conditioning equipment, western-style toilets with quick-drying toilet floors, touchless water faucets
  1. Co-creation: Realizing 'co-creation spaces' as a base for cooperative and collaborative activities and interaction with local people:
  1. Creation of a "co-creation space" as a base for cooperative and collaborative activities and interaction with local people
  2. Combining and sharing school facilities with other public service facilities, etc., in accordance with local conditions, etc.
  1. Safety: Realizing a safe and secure educational environment that protects children's lives
  1. Ensuring a safe and secure educational environment through facility management
  2. Reinforcing disaster preparedness functions as an evacuation center, such as private power generation, information and communication facilities, barrier-free access, and flood preparedness
  1. Environment: Realizing a sustainable educational environment that contributes to a decarbonized society
  1. Promoting ZEB (Net Zero Energy Building) by promoting energy-saving measures such as high thermal insulation of roofs and exterior walls and high-efficiency lighting, as well as the introduction of photovoltaic power generation equipment
  2. Promote the use of wood in schools (wood construction, indoor use) from the perspective of coexistence with the environment and local communities.

With regard to special needs education in "1. Learning" above refers to:

  1. Securing a facility environment that enables appropriate guidance and necessary support, etc., specifically, establishments in an inclusive education system to accommodate students with diverse educational needs
  2. Further promotion of barrier-free facilities, such as barrier-free restrooms, ramps, elevators, etc., as a basis for reasonable accommodation
  3. Provide spaces where students with or without disabilities can interact and study together safely and without difficulty
  4. Spaces where students can study peacefully in a relaxed atmosphere, and spaces where students with disabilities can learn together
  5. Space for medical care, etc.

For more information, please visit the website below (Japanese only):　　https://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/shingi/chousa/shisetu/044/toushin/1414523_00004.htm

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