[MEXT] Promulgation of the Standards for Setting up Schools for Special Needs Education

On 24 September 2021, the Standards for Setting up Schools for Special Needs Education (Ordinance of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) No. 45 of 2021) was promulgated.

Due to the recent increase in students enrolled in the school for special needs education (SNE), there has been a chronic shortage of classrooms in SNE schools. Despite the need to improve the educational environment of SNE schools, there was no ministerial ordinance for setting up SNE schools. For SNE schools, the Enforcement Regulations of the School Education Act (Ministry of Education Ordinance No. 11, 1947) only stipulates basic matters concerning the organization of facilities. Unlike SNE schools, standards are in place for kindergartens, primary and lower secondary, and upper secondary schools, universities, and vocational schools.

This Standard for SNE Schools is established based on Article 3 of the School Education Act (Law No. 26 of 1947) and stipulates the minimum standards necessary for establishing SNE schools, including organization, facilities, and equipment. Besides, the provisions are flexible and general to enable appropriate measures to be taken according to the region's actual situation.

The main contents of the standard are as follows.

  • Types of courses (Article 3 and Article 4)

The upper secondary department of SNE schools shall be those which mainly provide general education (general course) and those which mainly provide specialized education (Article 3 and Article 4, paragraph 1).

  • The courses which mainly provide specialized education are as follows.
  • For students with visual impairment

Courses: home economics, music, physical therapy, and physiotherapy

  • For students with deafness or with hard of hearing:

Courses: agriculture, industry, commerce, home economics, fine arts, hairdressing and beauty, dental technology

  • For students with intellectual disabilities, physical disabilities, or weak constitution

Courses: agriculture, industry, commerce, home economics, and general industry.

  • Number of pre-school age children, pupils, or students in one class (Article 5)
  • The number of preschoolers in a class of kindergarten department is five, and in the case of children with multiple disabilities, no more than three (Paragraph 1).
  • The number of pupils or students in one class in an elementary department a lower secondary department is six. In the case of a class of children with multiple disabilities, the number of students shall not exceed 3. (Paragraph 2).
  • The number of students in a class in the upper secondary department shall not exceed 8, or 3 if the class is composed of students with multiple disabilities. (Paragraph 3).　

The following is omitted.

For more information, please visit the website below (Japanese).
https://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/hakusho/nc/mext_00038.html

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