Nearly half of the nation's governors see the need to rethink the current role of the national government in financing and controlling the compulsory education system, according to a recent Kyodo News survey.
But at the same time, many of the governors in favor of reform have expressed concern over a possible decrease in financing of compulsory education in the future.
The national government shoulders half of the salaries paid to teachers and clerical staff at public elementary schools and junior high schools to avoid regional income disparities, and earmarked about 3 trillion yen -- the largest such government subsidy -- for the system in the current fiscal year, which started in April.