Oita Prefecture's Goal of 80% ICT Adoption in After-School Programs: What Frontline Operators Want from Local Government

Oita Prefecture has set a target of achieving 80% ICT adoption in after-school children's clubs (gakudo hoiku) by fiscal year 2027. However, as of June 2025, the adoption rate stands at only 48%.

This lags significantly behind childcare facilities, where ICT adoption is around 80%.

Mr. Kawai, who operates Yufuin Children's Club in Yufu City, Oita Prefecture, shares his insights from firsthand experience with ICT implementation:

"Just having the local government introduce or mediate connections with system providers would make a huge difference. While subsidies are welcome, even the act of reaching out can feel like a high barrier."

─── Mr. Kawai, Manager, Yufuin Children's Club (Yufu City, Oita Prefecture)

VISH Inc., provider of the ICT system "Hokally" for after-school programs, conducted an interview with Mr. Kawai, who has firsthand experience implementing ICT at Yufuin Children's Club.

Today, we publish this interview article summarizing frontline challenges and requests to local governments.

Oita Prefecture's ICT Adoption Goal and Current Status

Oita Prefecture aims to achieve an 80% ICT adoption rate in after-school children's clubs (gakudo hoiku) by fiscal year 2027—on par with childcare facilities.

However, as of June 2025, the adoption rate remains at 48%, still far behind childcare facilities.

On the other hand, 96% of after-school clubs that have adopted ICT report "feeling improved operational efficiency."

While the benefits of ICT adoption are evident, further efforts are needed to boost adoption rates.

The Gap Between Oita's ICT Goals and Reality

Barriers to ICT Adoption: "Digital Hesitancy" and "Lack of Information"

VISH Inc. conducted an interview with Mr. Kawai, manager of Yufuin Children's Club (Yufu City, Oita Prefecture), which has implemented the ICT system "Hokally."

The interview revealed that beyond cost, the main barriers are the large number of staff who are uncomfortable with digital tools and the lack of information about where to seek support.

Challenges in After-School Programs

Many staff members are not digitally proficient, and some facilities do not even have computers

Long-standing analog operations make it difficult to adopt new systems

Staff worry that "requesting materials might obligate us to adopt," creating a barrier even at the information-gathering stage

Facilities often struggle to address these issues alone, leading to high expectations for administrative support

What Operators Want from Government: "Acting as a Bridge"—Mediation and Sharing Case Studies

While subsidies are appreciated, operators stressed the need to resolve the initial hurdle of not knowing "who to contact."

Alongside financial support, establishing consultation desks to answer questions from facilities considering ICT adoption and improving information dissemination from local government are crucial.

Mr. Kawai also emphasized the importance of peer exchange and information sharing among staff:

"We need more sharing of practical examples—like 'this feature turned out to be really useful.' If staff from different children's clubs could meet locally, talk directly, and support each other, adoption would spread much faster."

─── Mr. Kawai, Manager, Yufuin Children's Club (Yufu City, Oita Prefecture)

"Even if you're not tech-savvy, you can overcome it by trying"—Changes at Yufuin Children's Club After ICT Adoption

Despite describing himself as "not good with digital tools," Mr. Kawai took the lead in implementing ICT.

Reflecting on his reasons for adoption, the challenges faced, and how staff and parents' attitudes changed afterward, Mr. Kawai shared:

"At first, it did take some determination. But with support, we got through it. Once everyone got used to it, both staff and parents were happy. I hope more facilities take that first step."

─── Mr. Kawai, Manager, Yufuin Children's Club (Yufu City, Oita Prefecture)

The full interview, including background, adoption process, and messages to local governments and non-adopting facilities, is available in the column below.

▶ Interview article: https://www.buscatch.com/gakudo/blog/column/oita_ict/

What is "Hokally"?

Hokally is an operational support system for after-school clubs, developed based on feedback from frontline gakudo hoiku staff.

It includes essential features such as entry/exit management, absence notifications, usage applications and user management, extended care fee tracking, and childcare fee billing.

After-school programs face challenges including staff shortages, increasing administrative burdens, and complex information sharing with parents. Hokally helps reduce these workloads, freeing up more time to engage directly with children. The system supports the creation of a safe and reassuring environment for children, parents, and instructors, and helps streamline club operations.

Hokally can be adopted with zero initial cost, starting at ¥5,500 (tax included) per month, and offers flexible deployment options to suit facility size and operational policies.

▶ Hokally details: https://www.buscatch.com/gakudo/

VISH Inc. aims to contribute to advancing ICT adoption in after-school programs by widely sharing not only success stories but also the challenges and concerns facilities face during implementation. This interview is part of that ongoing effort.

Beyond providing the system, VISH Inc. actively shares information to address facilities' concerns and provide support during the adoption process.

We will continue to share frontline voices, case studies, and knowledge to promote ICT adoption in after-school programs.

[VISH Inc. (Vish Inc.)]

Representative: CEO Hiroyuki Tabya

Address: SC Nishiki Annex 5F, 2-10-13 Nishiki, Naka-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture

Founded: December 2004

Capital: 11.5 million JPY

Corporate website: https://www.vish.co.jp/