On Sept. 15, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) released the results of its survey on education in its 35 member countries. Private spending on universities and other institutes of higher education as a percentage of total spending on such institutes was 65% in 2013, more than twice the OECD average (30%).

Of the 32 nations for which there is data, Japan stood alongside South Korea (68%) and the United States (64%) as countries with the highest share of private expenditure on institutes of higher education. In contrast, private spending on such institutes was at 4% in Finland and Norway. Higher education in these countries is covered almost entirely by public spending.

Some 1,053,142 university and graduate students in Japan took advantage of scholarships and the like in the 2014-2015 [academic year]. This represents an increase by over 50% in the past decade. An OECD official in charge of the survey said, “It is important [for Japan] to expand the scholarship system for economically disadvantaged students.” From next fiscal year, Japan will introduce scholarships where the amount that must be paid back is linked to income, and the OECD official said that this type of scholarship “is the most effective method.”

Work hours for Japan’s teachers above OECD average

Teachers at Japan’s elementary, junior high, and senior high schools worked 1,891 hours a year in 2014, exceeding the OECD averages (elementary school: 1,585 hours; junior high: 1,609 hours; senior high: 1,588 hours). However, the number of hours spent on teaching was below the OECD average for all three. The OECD said, “[In the case of Japan] teachers spend a lot of time on extracurricular activities, administrative duties, and faculty meetings.”

Share of private expenditure on

institutes of higher education (2013)

(Compiled based on OECD materials)