When Japanese students don’t go to school, a robot could soon take their place at school. This initiative is an attempt to combat the increasing truancy.
The Japanese city of Kumamoto is planning to use robots to allow students to virtually participate in classes in an effort to curb rising truancy. Children will be able to control the robots from home so that they don’t have to miss out on lessons and other class events.
The robots are one meter high and can work completely independently. This allows the students to move the robots around the school grounds and involve them in activities. “Communication through these robots is not entirely realistic, but it can at least give a sense of reality to children who are not yet confident and shy away from interacting with others,” said official Maki Yoshizato.
“We hope this initiative will ease their psychological fears,” Yoshizato added. It is not the first time that the city has offered an alternative way to go to school. The city has already launched virtual classrooms in an effort to tackle absenteeism. In November, the city wants to start with the new robot project. “It is very important to give students who cannot or do not want to go to school more opportunities to study,” explains Kazumfi Onishi, the mayor of the city.
COVID-19
Like other countries, Japan has seen an increase in school absenteeism following the Covid-19 pandemic for a variety of reasons, from bullying to interaction problems. Across the country, the number of children truant in primary and secondary schools reached a record high, according to Japan’s Ministry of Education.
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