Regarding the Nov. 24 article "Next step toward budget": I would like to bring to your attention another aspect of the new government's "waste-cutting" policy. I represent a group of international students who are discontented with recent measures taken by the Ministry of Education concerning requirements for awarding government scholarships to master's degree students.
On Sept. 28, the grade-point average (GPA) requirement for receiving the scholarship was suddenly changed from 2.0 to 2.5 out of 3. A change of requirements at this stage leaves undergraduate students in their final year with no possibility of correcting their GPA. Also, most of those who intend to continue with a master's program had already made academic plans and had taken master's exams by the time of the announcement. Put simply, the ministry changed the rules in the middle of the game, upsetting a lot of plans.
We feel that this reveals the Japanese government's total disregard for the specific situations and needs of international students. There is widespread frustration across the international student body. International Student Center advisers — including those from Tokyo University's Center — are expressing bewilderment at this sudden change. We have petitioned the ministry, asking that these changes be revised. The petition, signed by 57 students, can be viewed online at: http://www.petitiononline.com/Speakup/petition.html.
There is also a discussion group on Facebook called "GPA Petition." We hope the ministry will show more consideration toward international students. Otherwise, the positive image created by the ministry in awarding these scholarships will be invalidated and many international students will go home.