New Osaka school to feature adjustable rooftop pool

OSAKA, Oct 25 (News On Japan) - A new state-of-the-art public elementary and junior high school is set to open in Osaka next April.

With a construction budget of 6 billion yen, the new public combined elementary and junior high school will open in the heart of Osaka City, in Nakanoshima, next spring.

The school aims to cultivate a "global perspective" without being bound by "traditional methods." The ground will be made of artificial turf.

The seven-story school building will feature large stairs and communal spaces. A pool will be installed on the rooftop, which will have a unique feature specific to combined schools. The pool's movable floor allows the water depth to be adjusted according to the growth of the students.

In the past decade, the population in the Kita Ward of Osaka City, where Nakanoshima is located, has been increasing yearly. Despite the overall city trend of decreasing numbers of children, there has been an increase of more than 1,600 children in Kita Ward compared to 10 years ago, leading to issues like classroom shortages.

The newly established "Nakanoshima Combined School" has the same tuition fees as other public schools and accepts applicants from all over the city. The school's explanatory session held in October was packed.