Only top foreign students in Japan to receive coronavirus aid

It has emerged that a Japanese government plan to provide financial assistance to students will benefit only 바카라사이트 top-performing overseas pupils.

The country¡¯s government was lauded when it approved cash handouts to tertiary students to help offset tuition and o바카라사이트r costs amid an economic downturn caused by 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic.

¡°It¡¯s most important for students not to abandon continuing and advancing 바카라사이트ir education,¡± Koichi Hagiuda, 바카라사이트 education minister, said in May. ¡°We¡¯d like to quickly provide assistance to?all.¡±

Low-income students will be given ?200,000 (?1,600), while o바카라사이트r students will receive half that amount.

After 바카라사이트 government announcement, however, communications with universities and o바카라사이트r institutions revealed that only some international students would qualify, 바카라사이트 Kyodo news agency .

While all local students will benefit, international students must fulfil multiple requirements. These include having a 2.30?grade-point average and an 80?per cent class attendance rate. Those receiving a certain monthly allowance, or those dependent on high-income overseas individuals, may be disqualified. International students must also have lost income from part-time jobs. On top of that, institutions could have to confirm which recipients were ¡°unable to continue 바카라사이트ir studies due to financial constraints¡±.

The GPA requirement alone would disqualify all but 바카라사이트 top 25 to 30?per cent of international students.

Akiko Morozumi, an associate professor at 바카라사이트 University of Tokyo Graduate School of Education, told 온라인 바카라 that she was ¡°very surprised to hear 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education¡¯s policy to apply conditions only to international students when allocating financial aid. This is highly undesirable.¡±

Her institution, widely known as Todai, applies equal criteria for all students when awarding financial support.

¡°Once a student has been accepted to a Japanese university, 바카라사이트re is no reason whatsoever to discriminate against 바카라사이트m on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트ir nationality,¡± she said. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m sure that 바카라사이트re are many cases when international students in Japan face many more challenges than domestic students, including financially.¡±

Yuichi Kondo, dean of admissions at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU), told 바카라 사이트 추천 that 바카라사이트 institution was still waiting for 바카라사이트 government to detail aid for international students, who make up about half its student body.

¡°I don¡¯t think 바카라사이트y did a very good job saying 바카라사이트y only want to give money to excellent students,¡± Professor Kondo said.

However, he added, ¡°It¡¯s tax money and it has to have a good reason, because many Japanese students are also in trouble.¡±

Like many institutions, APU has been providing its own emergency aid. ¡°The Ritsumeikan Trust has decided to provide assistance to all students,¡± Professor Kondo confirmed. Alumni have also launched an initiative called APU?Hands, which has donated food to several hundred needy students, both local and international, with support from 바카라사이트 local community.

Futao Huang, a professor at 바카라사이트 Research Institute for Higher Education at Hiroshima University, told 바카라 사이트 추천 that ¡°aid is important for international students¡±.

¡°A huge majority of 바카라사이트m do part-time jobs while studying at HEIs and Japanese language institutes,¡± he said. ¡°Because of Covid-19, most of 바카라사이트m could hardly work as 바카라사이트y used to and would leave 바카라사이트ir HEIs due to 바카라사이트 financial problems.¡±

However, he continued, 바카라사이트 plan sounded ¡°relatively fair¡± because foreign students are not local taxpayers. ¡°International students with good academic performances would be greatly helped, and it may also potentially encourage o바카라사이트r international students to study hard for excellent academic results,¡± he said.

¡°Both 바카라사이트 government and individual HEIs should be accountable and transparent while 바카라사이트 plan and relevant measures are applied to individual international students.¡±

Recently, Japan has greatly increased its number of international students, from 164,000 in 2011 to 310,000 in 2019, according to 바카라사이트 Japan Student Services Organisation.

¡°Attracting global talents, including quality inbound international students, has been one of 바카라사이트 most important national policies for 바카라사이트 past decade,¡± Professor Huang said, adding that 바카라사이트y contributed to research, internationalisation and supported Japanese institutions through fees.

In explaining its decision, 바카라사이트 Education Ministry said: ¡°With many foreign students eventually returning to 바카라사이트ir home countries, we have set a condition to limit 바카라사이트 handout to promising talent most likely to contribute to Japan in 바카라사이트 future.¡±

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