Struggling parents cut living costs for kids' new school life
 

Over 60% of financially struggling parents with children advancing to the next stage of education said they planned to cut their living costs to secure the money needed for their children's new school life, a survey has shown.

Nongovernmental organization Save the Children Japan took the survey in January with 1,255 parents who had children slated to go on to the next level of education, such as junior high school, this spring and who applied to its financial support program.

Regarding how they planned to cover the costs related to school entrances and graduations, the most popular answer was saving on living costs.

The answer was given by 62.5% of surveyed parents with children set to become junior high school students and 62.8% of parents with children slated to enter high school.

Asked how they cover school-related expenses, many respondents said they were reducing the amount they eat. Borrowing money from relatives was also a popular answer, given by nearly 20% of participants.

Asked what items respondents found difficult to prepare money for, with multiple answers allowed, over 75% said uniforms.

Among parents with children set to become high school students, personal computers or tablets were also a popular answer, picked by 47%, as were commuting costs, chosen by 31.2%.

Save the Children Japan said that the costs related to school entrances and graduations place heavy burdens on households. The group called for the expansion of support especially for parents with children entering high school, given that many respondents struggled to secure money for digital devices.

Source: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/04/15/japan/society/living-costs-cut-for-education/

Comprehension

What percentage of parents said they plan to cut living costs to secure money for their children's new school life?
Who conducted the survey in January?
What was the most popular answer for covering school-related costs?
What percentage of parents with children entering high school chose to reduce the amount they eat?
What percentage of parents with children entering high school found it difficult to prepare money for uniforms?
What percentage of parents with children entering high school chose personal computers or tablets as a difficult item to prepare money for?
What percentage of parents with children entering high school chose commuting costs as a difficult item to prepare money for?
What did Save the Children Japan say about the costs related to school entrances and graduations?

Discussion

How can parents financially prepare for their children's new school life?
Have you ever had to cut living costs to secure money for something important?
What are some ways to save money on school-related expenses?
How can schools help parents with the financial burden of school-related costs?
Have you ever had to borrow money from relatives to cover expenses?
How can digital devices be essential for children's education?
What are some ways to support parents with children entering high school?
How can communities help families with financial struggles?
How can the government help parents with the financial burden of school-related costs?
How can schools and parents work together to ensure that children have access to necessary resources for their education?

Vocabulary

Slated - scheduled or planned
Entrances - the act of entering or beginning something
Graduations - the act of graduating or completing a level of education
Nongovernmental organization (NGO) - a non-profit organization that operates independently of the government
Participants - people who take part in an activity or study
Struggle - to have difficulty doing something
Secure - to obtain or make sure of something
Burdens - something that is difficult to bear or endure