06-05-2025
Disposal questions arise as student learning devices need replacing in Japan
Personal computers and tablets allocated to elementary and junior high school students across Japan for classroom use are now reaching the end of their service life and are due for renewal.
Some local governments are repurposing the used devices for administrative use by teaching staff or incorporating them into educational programs to teach students about waste management and environmental issues.
At the same time, local authorities must commission specialist companies to dispose of the devices, as they contain personal information. Experts and parents have voiced concerns about the potential risk of data leaks involving schoolchildren's personal details.
The nationwide deployment of learning devices, including PCs, to all elementary and junior high school students began in earnest in fiscal 2021 as part of the Japanese government's GIGA School Initiative, which aims to digitalize education.
GIGA, which stands for Global and Innovation Gateway for All, seeks to enhance the learning environment by integrating information and communications technologies into classrooms. With these devices, students benefit from visual aids, such as interactive diagrams in arithmetic and mathematics, and can also communicate with school staff about their concerns via chat functions.
The rollout of the devices was originally scheduled for completion by fiscal 2023, but the timeline was accelerated in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which led many schools to adopt online classes. As a result, nearly all schoolchildren had received their devices by the end of fiscal 2022.
As the devices' batteries typically have a service life of four to five years, many local governments are expected to begin renewal efforts in fiscal 2025, which ends in March 2026.
According to private research company MM Research Institute, an estimated 4.74 million devices will be replaced in fiscal 2025, followed by an additional 4.55 million in fiscal 2026.
In November last year, the Osaka city board of education organized classes in which elementary school students disassembled devices slated for disposal and learned about the recycling of the rare metals contained in them.
"These terminals, actually used by the children, themselves, helped them better understand recycling and environmental issues," an official from the board said.
According to the education ministry, used devices have been repurposed for a variety of uses, including by school principals and external supporters, for parent-teacher association activities, and at libraries and community centers.
Their disposal requires careful handling, however, because the devices contain personal information about schoolchildren.
"In addition to sensitive information, such as records of counseling on school bullying, the devices also store IDs and passwords, which could be misused (if leaked)," said Koji Tsukamoto, a senior official at the Children and Student Data Privacy Association. "It's essential that all data be thoroughly erased."
The association, which is made up primarily of recycling businesses, provides guidance to local governments on proper disposal practices.
In a survey conducted by the association in November last year, more than 80% of 687 parents and other guardians of elementary and junior high school students said they were concerned about potential leaks of photos and family-related information.
The education and environment ministries have issued a notice warning local governments that they could be held liable if personal data are not properly deleted. The ministries urged municipalities to entrust device disposal to businesses certified by the national government.
Some local officials, however, appear not to be thoroughly informed about the proper procedures. According to the association, several local government and school staff members said they did not know how to dispose of the learning devices or were unaware of certified disposal service providers.
"This is the first time that such a large number of devices have been disposed of at once," Tsukamoto noted. "Some local governments have yet to formulate disposal plans. First and foremost, it's important to draw up those plans."
