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KITAKYUSHU — Weekend club activities at municipal junior high schools in this southwest Japan city will be gradually reduced from this September and ultimately eliminated in two years.
Under the Kitakyushu Municipal Board of Education plan, students wishing to participate in activities on Saturdays and Sundays will be able to do so through community clubs certified by the city.
The possibility of junior high school club evolving into community-wide programs have been under discussion by the Agency for Cultural Affairs and the Japan Sports Agency due to declining birth rates and the need to reduce teachers’ workloads. Experts in Kitakyushu were also examining the issue.
According to the city’s plan, from September this year, club activities will be halted on the first Saturday and the following Sunday of each month. From September 2026, this will extend to the first and third Saturdays and the following Sundays, and from September 2027, all weekends and public holidays will be included. Community clubs will take over activities for interested students, while weekday school club activities will continue.
Community clubs must operate on a nonprofit basis and understand the significance of school club activities. Training for instructors is mandatory. Both sports and cultural clubs are included, and activities will primarily take place at school facilities.
The cost of operations, including instructor fees, will be borne by students’ parents or guardians. Guidelines will reference appropriate pricing to be indicated by the national government, with an anticipated fee of 3,000 yen (about $21) or less per student per month. Community clubs can be selected from anywhere within the city.
To support the establishment of community clubs, the Kitakyushu education board will set up a talent bank for instructors, registering a wide range of individuals, including teachers, sports team members and private citizens interested in coaching. Two or three coordinators will be placed in the education board to assist in matching community clubs seeking coaches with potential instructors and ensuring the sustainability of activities.
According to the education board, a total of about 500 school clubs are currently active on Saturdays and Sundays. By September 2027, when weekend activities are fully abolished, the city aims to have 300 community clubs established. The city plans to hold information sessions in various areas moving forward.
(Japanese original by Chie Yamashita, Kyushu News Department)
AloJapan.com