金沢大学留学生センター = International Srudent Center Kanazawa University
Abstract
Since revision of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law in 1990, there have been many foreign citizens with Japanese roots, especially Brazilians, in Komatsu City. Their children appear not to have many problems in their daily lives, because their Japanese skills are sufficient in daily communication. But there are a lot of children who suffer due to inadequate language skill for training in the schools. Such children often have difficulty keeping up with others in their training in the classroom. Since 2009 we have been supporting children with foreign roots every Sunday afternoon in cooperation with the Komatsu International Association. On Average we met and worked 35.2 times in a year in the last five years until 2013. We had 3.03 participants, 3.05 students\u27 volunteers, and 1.02 university staff. During our supporting activities we make a point not only of teaching in the narrow meaning of education but also of learning and sharing together with children. The first aim of our project is: to have students go to High School and graduate, because graduation from high school is the minimal educational level to live adequately in Japanese society. The second aim is: to have Japanese community support children with foreign roots. It is for them very crucial to feel they are accepted by Japanese society. The third aim is: to have Japanese volunteers experience the importance of multicultural society. The human right of education cannot be fully realized without compulsory education for children with foreign roots. Essentially, educational politics, including the guarantee of education of their mother tongue and culture, should be actively and properly done as part of the responsibility carried by the whole of Japanese society. Given the realities, however, our project should primarily remain as a supplementary activity. But we cannot overlook the situation of children with foreign roots who do not fully enjoy the right to education. Thus, it is necessary for us to continue with our project despite these very severe conditions
