Japanese city to allow kids to miss 3 days of school per year for more family time

NIKKO, Tochigi — This east Japan city will introduce a system in April allowing local elementary and junior high school students to skip school on up to three weekdays per school year to increase opportunities for learning and interaction with their families.

This is the first such initiative introduced by a municipality in Tochigi Prefecture. The name of the system is “Chokotto Stuvaca Nikko,” with “stuvaca” being a portmanteau of “study” for children and “vacation” for parents. Students will have the option of taking the three days off in a row.

The introduction of the system was considered after a proposal was made at a meeting of the National Governors’ Association last June to promote reforms in the way workers take days off to enhance their work-life balance. According to the 2021 Economic Census for Business Activity, the percentage of employees in the accommodations and service industry averages 7.8% in Tochigi Prefecture and 8.1% for the nation, while in Nikko, known for its hot spring resorts, the figure reaches 18.0%. With many residents working on weekends and holidays, the city decided to introduce the system to enhance the work-life balance by providing more opportunities to spend time with their children on weekdays when they are not working.

The stuvaca system is voluntary, and days missed under it are treated the same as attendance suspension or bereavement leave, not absences. Classes missed are to be made up by self-study at home. A “notification sheet” for the location and details of the activity must be filled in and submitted to the school at least one day prior.

The city’s commerce and industry division said, “Different sorts of activities lead to learning. We hope this new system will enhance family interaction.”

(Japanese original by Mie Omokawa, Utsunomiya Bureau)