According to the Certified NPO Pocket Support active in Okayama Prefecture, there are approximately 46,000 children nationwide who are absent for long periods due to illness or injury, and about 1,000 of them are said to be in Okayama Prefecture, ranging from elementary to high school students.
The place that guarantees the right to education for such children is the hospital school.
In Okayama Prefecture, there are 7 facilities with 12 hospital schools, and 2 hospital schools are established at the Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Ohara Memorial Kurashiki Central Medical Institution Kurashiki Central Hospital (hereinafter referred to as "Kurashiki Central Hospital").
We conducted interviews to find out what kind of educational activities are being carried out and what kind of daily lives the children are experiencing.
What is a "hospital school"?
A hospital school is a special support class for children and students who must be hospitalized due to illness or injury, established within the hospital.
Hospital schools are not established in all hospitals; according to the 2022 Survey Results on Children with Illnesses, only 340 schools (225 elementary and middle schools, 115 special support schools) nationwide have implemented this system.
In Kurashiki City, there are 2 hospital schools (elementary and middle school) at Kurashiki Central Hospital and 2 hospital schools (elementary and middle school) at Kawasaki Medical School Hospital.
Students attending the hospital school go through a transfer procedure to enroll and progress in their studies while prioritizing treatment and examinations. The learning content is based on the textbooks and materials used at the school they were enrolled in before hospitalization. Additionally, middle school students can request problems from their previous school and take regular and proficiency tests.
Most students aim to return to their previous school after discharge.
Supporting students so they do not struggle academically upon returning is a major objective.
Initiatives of the Kurashiki Central Hospital Hospital School
In the pediatric ward of Kurashiki Central Hospital, there are hospital schools designated as special support classes for children with health issues, with elementary school being Kurashiki-Higashi Elementary School and middle school being Kurashiki-Higashi Junior High School.
"Attending school" while receiving treatment and 4 hours of study
Passing through the connecting corridor from the pediatric ward, you can see the hospital school for elementary and middle school, as well as a playroom staffed by childcare workers.
Children come to school here from their hospital rooms and experience school life.
However, for hospitalized children, the top priority is treatment. They come to the hospital school at times that fit their treatment schedule and spend time learning.
The daily class time is 4 hours, and as of April 2026, the schedule is as follows.
During the time that corresponds to the first period in regular elementary and middle schools, there is a morning round, and during lunch, students return to their rooms to have lunch and check their condition, so the schedule takes these into account.
Everyone has different learning content
Students enrolled in the hospital school each have their previous school before hospitalization. The hospital school at Kurashiki Central Hospital has students coming from a wide range of areas, not only from within Kurashiki City but also from northern Okayama Prefecture and Fukuyama City in Hiroshima Prefecture, so their learning progress and the textbooks and materials they use vary.
Additionally, since there is only one class for both elementary and middle school, elementary school students from 6 grades and middle school students from 3 grades learn in the same classroom.
As a result, much of the learning time is self-study, where students work on drills or take online classes from their previous schools.
Many activities that can only be experienced in a hospital school
Within the limited learning time, there are many activities that can only be experienced because they are enrolled in the hospital school.
One of these is the Time for Energy.
Since the hospital school is classified as a special support class, there is also a time for independent activities unique to special support education. Kurashiki Central Hospital has named it "Time for Energy," where children gather together to engage in activities that deepen their interactions.
Independent Activities
Each student aims for independence and develops the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and habits necessary to actively improve and overcome various difficulties based on their disabilities, thereby fostering the foundation for harmonious physical and mental development.Source: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
Examples of activities during the Time for Energy include the following:
- Cooking practice
- Storytelling sessions
- English interaction activities
- Computer learning
- Creative activities
- Preparation for pediatric ward events (Tanabata Festival, summer festival, Halloween party, Christmas party, Setsubun event, etc.)
Ohara Museum of Art and Okayama Prefectural University invite external instructors, and activities planned by volunteers and childcare workers from Kurashiki Central Hospital are conducted, providing opportunities to connect with the outside world even during hospitalization.
We interviewed the homeroom teachers of the hospital schools for both elementary and middle school about the daily conditions of the children and what they value in their teaching.
Data on the Kurashiki Central Hospital Hospital School
| Name | Kurashiki Central Hospital Hospital School |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-1-1 Miwa, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-422-0210 |
| Website | Kurashiki Central Hospital Hospital School |
