Students who miss their high school entrance examinations due to menstrual symptoms will be eligible to take a supplementary examination, the education ministry announced.

The ministry will issue a notice to prefectural boards of education by the end of the year.

The policy was announced during the Lower House’s education and science committee on Nov. 16.

Such an allowance was not explicitly stated in the previous notices and responses varied among school boards.

In June, the ministry issued a notice to prefectural boards of education and other organizations outlining reasons for allowing students to take a supplementary examination, including infectious diseases such as the novel coronavirus, natural disasters and molestation.

There was no mention of menstruation, however.

Takae Ito, a member of the Democratic Party for the People, pointed out that local governments’ responses regarding consideration of those menstruating during entrance examinations “is uneven.”

She asked for the government’s opinion on whether the additional test would also be available for those with physical discomfort caused by menstruation, such as menstrual cramps and premenstrual syndrome (PMS), which can manifest itself as emotional instability and drowsiness.

Kazuhiko Yano, director of the bureau of elementary and secondary education, replied, “We would like to inform in writing to the persons in charge of administering (entrance examinations) in each prefecture that it is possible (to include cases of poor health due to menstruation in supplementary examinations) by the end of this year.”

POLICY PRAISED AS WELCOME MOVE

According to a 2021 survey by LunaLuna, a health care website for women, 85.1 percent of the 1,197 women in their teens and older who responded said they were “concerned” about their menstrual cycle coinciding with high school entrance or other exam dates.

Deciding whether to give those with menstrual symptoms a supplementary public high school entrance examination varies by region.

Osaka Prefecture is considering expanding the scope of supplementary examinations for next spring’s high school entrance examinations.

Infectious diseases such as influenza and the novel coronavirus have been covered so far, but Osaka officials will consider whether to include cases where the student was unable to take the exam due to another unavoidable condition.

“If we judge by whether or not it is menstruation, there will be a difference between men and women,” said an official of the prefectural board of education. “We are considering focusing on symptoms, such as ‘I have a debilitating stomachache.’”

The Fukuoka prefectural board of education allows students to take a make-up exam if they are unable to take the exam due to reasons “beyond their control.” The board states that “decisions will be made based on applications from enrolled junior high schools regarding individual circumstances,” including physical symptoms caused by menstruation.

The Tokyo metropolitan board of education has been making decisions based on third-party certifications, such as medical certificates. As a variety of symptoms, including menstruation, can be covered under the current system, the board has no plans to change its response after the central government’s notification.

“There have been no applications for supplementary examinations on the basis of menstruation," said an official in charge.

According to the National Center for University Entrance Examinations, the university entrance examination in January each year may allow students to take a supplementary exam if a medical certificate is presented.

There have been past cases where permission was granted after a medical certificate was submitted and approved for menstruation-related symptoms.

“Many women have serious symptoms related to menstruation, such as abdominal pain, nausea, and other dysmenorrhea associated with it, as well as PMS,” said Sachiko Takahashi, assistant professor and obstetrician-gynecologist at Saitama Medical University. “During the examination season, many junior and senior high school students come to us for consultation, saying they are worried that their exam dates and menstrual cycles may coincide.

“This policy by the ministry is a welcome move, and we hope that each board of education and other organizations will take action to make it subject to follow-up examinations,” she added. “In doing so, it is essential not only to widely publicize the program, but also to create an environment in which it is easy for the students, themselves, to talk about it.”

(This article was written by Chika Yamamoto, Yukihito Takahama, Masayuki Takashima and Yusuke Nagano.)