Photo/Illutration Schoolchildren watch a men’s fencing match at the Tokyo Paralympics at Makuhari Messe in Chiba on Aug. 25. (Takaharu Yagi)

The Tokyo Paralympics organizing committee has proceeded with its “school cooperation watch program” that encourages thousands of children to see live competitions at venues for educational purposes.

But fewer and fewer kids are participating and even more could soon drop out, with many schools and local governments already withdrawing from the program over fears of the novel coronavirus.

The program is going forward as many schools nationwide have made the agonizing decision to postpone the fall term opening day, or once again cancel their field trips and other activities, amid the fifth wave of the pandemic.

At a little past 8 a.m. on Aug. 25, buses carrying young students arrived one after another at Makuhari Messe, a Paralympic venue for wheelchair fencing and goalball events, located in Chiba.

About 2,200 schoolchildren, their teachers and parents were initially expected to attend that day, but the turnout was much smaller, the Chiba prefectural government said.

Many decided not to go because of concerns about COVID-19, prefectural officials said.

Those who did had to follow health protocols, such as avoiding sitting near other passengers on the bus, keeping their lips zipped while they walked and making sure they sit with one seat empty between them inside the venue.

They enjoyed the morning’s wheelchair fencing session and left the venue by around 11 a.m.

Four Paralympic events are being held at Makuhari Messe.

As of Aug. 23, 26,000 people from 207 schools in seven cities and towns in Chiba Prefecture were expected to participate in the program and watch at least one event during the Paralympics.

But that figure was down 10,000 from the initial estimate as of Aug. 17.

In Chiba city alone, about 7,000 students and parents had withdrawn from the program by Aug. 23.

The number may further dwindle, not only in the prefecture but also in Saitama Prefecture and Tokyo, as the virus continues to surge.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education on Aug. 24 said an exodus from the program has already started.

As of Aug. 18, the board estimated that about 130,000 school children from eight municipalities would watch a Paralympic event through the program.

But roughly 85 percent of them passed up the opportunity within a week, as the board on Aug. 24 said now only 20,094 people from four municipalities are expressing that they still intend to go.

A total of 119 schools in Shinjuku, Shibuya and Suginami wards, along with Hachioji city, are expected to take part in the program, the board said.

In Koto Ward, which hosts eight Paralympic venues, the program has been scrapped altogether.

Ward Mayor Takaaki Yamazaki on Aug. 24 said in a released statement that the decision was made “to prevent infections from spreading and to protect children’s lives.”

“I sincerely apologize to the many children, students and their guardians, who have been looking forward to watching a game live at a venue,” he said.

Ward officials also announced that day that public elementary and junior high schools as well as kindergartens will be temporarily closed from Aug. 25 to Sept. 3.

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, who has insisted the program should go on as planned, on Aug. 23 said the metropolitan government will set up a system for those children attending the events to take a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.

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