Brazilian Schools’ Students Able to Earn Japanese High School Diplomas

Good news for a private Brazilian school in Gunma prefecture:

A correspondence-based high school in Gunma Prefecture has decided to tie up with a school for Japanese-Brazilian students next year so the bilingual students can receive Japanese diplomas, its officials said Saturday.

The partnership between Gakugeikan High School in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, and Nippaku Gakuen in Oizumi, also in Gunma, is the first in Japan. It is expected to expand educational opportunities for Japanese-Brazilian youths, many of whom drop out of school because of the language barrier.

Gakugeikan teachers will offer supplementary courses three days a week to Nippaku students, who will be enrolled in the private high school. Nippaku will meanwhile provide Japanese-language courses twice a week, the officials said.

While Nippaku students will be required to take part in schooling at Gakugeikan to earn credits, they also will be able to earn their diplomas while working, they said.