In January 2024, the Nippon Foundation conducted its 1st survey of 61-year-olds with the theme of "education." We asked young people's opinions on a wide range of issues, including their experiences with compulsory education, the state of the country's education spending, and the new university restructuring movement in response to the declining birthrate.
According to the survey, public spending on primary and higher education, which currently stands at 7% of general expenditure, should be increased to 8% or more, or 15 OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) member countries 38% of the respondents called for an increase to above the average of 10%, and nearly 6% said they were in favor of making university tuition free.
Regarding new trends in universities in response to the declining birthrate, the majority of respondents called for the creation of more online universities that do not require commuting, and increased acceptance of international students, while approximately half called for an increase in the number of public universities. Only a little less than a quarter of the respondents were in favor.
In addition, the number one thing that they thought was emphasized in compulsory education was "acquiring basic academic skills," about 1%, and the top thing they wanted to learn more about was knowledge about money, which is necessary for living. Approximately 3% of respondents said they had ``financial literacy,'' which is the ability to acquire financial literacy. In terms of trust in teachers, just under 2% of respondents said they trusted fewer or fewer teachers, and more than 4% of women said they trusted them.
The survey also asked young people's opinions on measures to secure new financial resources to increase education spending and the state of university entrance exams. This is introduced in detail in the report.
*What is the 18-year-old awareness survey?
Due to the revision of the Civil Code, the age of adulthood will be 2022 in April 4, and it is becoming increasingly important to understand and record the mindset of 18-year-olds who will lead the next generation. In response to the lowering of the voting age, the Nippon Foundation has been conducting ongoing surveys since October 18 on the values, attitudes toward politics and elections, and understanding of social issues among young people around the age of 2018.
