Awareness Survey of 18-Year-OldsResults of 33rd installment announced

The 33rd installment of the Awareness Survey of 18-Year-Olds, launched by The Nippon Foundation in October 2018, was carried out from December 1 to 4, 2020, on the subject of “Gaps in Education.” More than 40% of the survey’s respondents replied that they felt there were gaps in their own educational environment compared with those of others, with the main reason given as “my home did not have an environment where I could concentrate and study.” In addition, more than half of respondents felt that the new coronavirus pandemic is causing gaps in learning environments to widen, and roughly 30% see the pandemic having an effect on their future educational or career choices.

One in two respondents felt that gaps in access to education exist, with the top reasons for those gaps being “strength of household economies” (25%), “strength of school instruction” (15%), and “individual effort” (12%). Roughly half of respondents see these gaps widening going forward, while 10% do not. Of those who feel that gaps exist, however, the portion who expects them to widen increases to two-thirds. In addition, more than half of all respondents feel that gaps in access to education need to be rectified. The top measures seen as needed to achieve this were “creation of a system for free high school education” (48%), “a stronger system for free educational support” (34%), and “more robust online learning” (34%).

Notes:

  1. From the 13th survey, the number of respondents, comprising men and women aged 17 to 19, has been increased to 1,000 from 800. (With the exception of the 20th installment, “Awareness Survey of Society and Country,” all surveys cover respondents in Japan only.)
  2. In the information below, differences between total amounts and simple sums are due to rounding.

Survey 33. Gaps in Education (Results announced on January 7, 2021)

Finding: More than 40% of respondents feel there were gaps in their own educational environment compared with those of others. (n = 1,000)

“Do you feel there are gaps in your own educational environment compared with those of others?”

  • Yes – 43.4%
  • No – 56.6%
Pie chart showing results from Awareness Survey of 18-Year-Olds: In response to the question, “Do you feel there were gaps in your own educational environment compared with those of others?”, 43.4% of respondents replied “Yes” and 56.6% replied “No.”

Of those respondents who felt there are gaps in their own educational environment compared with those of others, the top reasons given were: (multiple answers allowed; n = 434)

  • My home did not have an environment where I could concentrate and study – 32.0%
  • My family could not afford to pay for me to attend a private preparatory school – 22.6%
  • There was no one close to me to help me study – 21.9%
  • I didn’t receive sufficient educational / career guidance – 19.1%
  • I did not have access to online learning – 15.0%

Finding: Overall, slightly less than half of respondents felt that gaps exist in access to education, but among those who felt gaps in their own educational environment, the figure rose to more than 70%.

“Do you feel that gaps exist in access to education?” (n = 1,000)

  • Yes – 48.9%
  • No – 51.1%

Among those who felt gaps in their own educational environment (n = 434)

  • Yes – 71.4%
  • No – 28.6%

Among those who did not feel gaps in their own educational environment (n = 566)

  • Yes – 31.6%
  • No – 68.4%
Pie chart showing results from Awareness Survey of 18-Year-Olds: In response to the question, “Do you feel that gaps exist in access to education?”, of all respondents (n = 1,000), 48.9% replied “Yes” and 51.1% replied “No.”
Bar charts showing the breakdown between those who felt there were gaps in their own educational environment and those who did not: among those who felt gaps (n = 434), 71.4% replied “Yes” and 28.6% replied “No”; while among those who did not (n = 566), 31.6% replied “Yes” and 68.4% replied “No.”

Among all respondents, the top reasons given for gaps in access to education were: (single answer; n = 1,000)

  • Strength of household economies – 25.3%
  • Strength of school instruction – 14.9%
  • Individual effort – 12.1%
  • Regional gaps in educational environment – 9.4%
  • Gaps in home / school digital environments – 9.4%
  • Household approach to education – 6.7%
  • Personal character – 2.8%
  • Don’t know – 19.4%

Finding: Overall, slightly more than half of respondents felt that gaps in access to education need to be corrected, but among those who felt gaps in access to education exist, the figure rose to more than 70%.

“Do you feel that gaps in access to education need to be corrected?” (n = 1,000)

  • Yes – 54.6%
  • No – 9.8%
  • Don’t know – 35.6%

Among those who felt that gaps in access to education exist (n = 489)

  • Yes – 71.4%
  • No – 4.1%
  • Don’t know – 24.5%

Among those who did not feel that gaps in access to education exist (n = 511)

  • Yes – 38.6%
  • No – 15.3%
  • Don’t know – 46.2%
Pie chart showing results from Awareness Survey of 18-Year-Olds: In response to the question, “Do you feel that gaps in access to education need to be corrected?”, of all respondents (n = 1,000), 54.6% replied “Yes,” while 9.8% replied “No” and 35.6% replied “Don’t know.”
Bar charts showing the breakdown between those who felt that gaps in access to education exist and those who did not: among those who that felt gaps exist (n = 489), 71.4% replied “Yes,” while 4.1% replied “No” and 24.5% replied “Don’t know”; while among those who did not (n = 511), 38.6% replied “Yes,” while 14.3% replied “No” and 46.2% replied “Don’t know.”

Among all respondents the top things seen as needed to correct gaps in access to education were: (multiple answers allowed; n = 1,000)

  • Creation of a system for free high school education – 48.0%
  • A stronger system for free educational support – 33.8%
  • More robust online learning – 33.8%
  • Digital environments in homes and schools – 30.9%
  • Clear identification of situation regarding gaps in quality of education – 30.1%
  • Other – 1.7%
  • Don’t know – 18.5%

Other Findings

Gaps in access to education seen widening going forward (51.2%)

  • Among those who feel gaps exist (67.1%)
  • Among those who do not (36.0%)

Gaps in educational environments have widened because of the new coronavirus pandemic (52.9%)

  • Among those who felt there were gaps in their own educational environment compared with those of others – 68.0%
  • Among those who did not – 41.3%

Future course has been affected by new coronavirus pandemic (31.5%)

  • Among those who feel pandemic has widened gaps in educational environments (45.0%)
  • Among those who do not (16.3%)

Among those whose future course has been affected by new coronavirus pandemic, the effect has been to (multiple answers allowed; n = 315) expand the scope of industries for job searches (33.3%), change approach (19.7%), reconsider geographic region for higher education (18.7%), and change prospective school out of economic considerations (9.2%)

Contact

Public Relations Team
The Nippon Foundation

  • Email: cc@ps.nippon-foundation.or.jp