Starting with 3 students. In its second year, CAN!P School is creating a new educational option of 'Urban x Nature' in Fukuoka
Hello, this is Morimoto from CAN!P.
Today, I would like to write about the daily challenges of 'CAN!P School,' a full-time alternative school operated by CAN!P.
Thanks to everyone's support, we have reached our second year and CAN!P School has evolved in many ways, but behind these challenges lie a series of struggles and conflicts for our staff.
I would like to organize everything regarding the walls we are currently hitting and where we are headed from here.
CAN!P's first challenge of a 'full-time school'
In April 2025, CAN!P School was born.
For us, having mainly focused on after-school programs, launching a 'full-time' alternative school where children spend most of their day was a truly significant challenge.
In 2024, one year before opening, we welcomed two reliable staff members with teaching experience in elementary schools to our team. From there, days of rushing together to thoroughly read the Course of Study, design the school concept, and create the curriculum began.
That is how we arrived at the number of students at opening was 3. It was truly a small start.
In the first place, in Fukuoka City, where we are based, there are not yet many options for alternative schools. It was also a challenge from zero to 'gain recognition' from the region and the market.
Why do we operate an alternative school?
One of the major missions we uphold is 'increasing options for education in regional areas.' The opening of CAN!P School is nothing less than a challenge to embody this mission.
Currently, it is said that there are over 20,000 children who are truant in Fukuoka Prefecture. Even if there are various reasons and backgrounds for each, it is a harsh reality that so many children have lost their 'place of learning.'
Japan's public education system is a wonderful mechanism that we can be proud of globally.
However, whether that uniform system fits the characteristics and timing of every child is another story.
In fact, we are now receiving many inquiries from families who are desperately seeking 'learning options other than public schools' at CAN!P School.
As an option for every child to live their own life proactively and in their own way, we want to make CAN!P School a place where children can feel safe and open themselves up.
The potential of 'Urban x Nature' is infinite. A curriculum that nurtures intellect and physicality
CAN!P School's base is located in an area surrounded by residential houses in Fukuoka City.
At first glance, it is an ordinary urban school, but we are maximizing the overwhelming advantage of Fukuoka as a city: 'while being one of Japan's leading regional cities, you can access rich nature by driving a little.'
We are designing a 'hybrid curriculum of city and nature' that utilizes this environment.
1. Input of 'intellect' within the school facility
We focus on basic learning time based on self-paced learning and 'my project' time to delve into what you 'want to do.'
While respecting the current situation and thoughts of each child to the maximum, we are working with the highest priority on creating a 'safe and secure place' that serves as a base for their hearts to move.
2. Weekly "Physical" Output (Nature Experience)
Once a week, we hop into a car and head out to the mountains, rivers, and the sea.
"CAN!P Satoyama Village," which I introduced in a recent note, is one of those fields.
It has become an irreplaceable and precious time for children to let their curiosity explode in the great outdoors.
Cutting-edge learning within the facility (Urban) and dynamic experiences that fully utilize the five senses (Nature).
The point of balancing these two is the unique strength of CAN!P School.
The walls we are currently hitting and the challenges that start from here
Thanks to everyone, we have reached our second year, and now more than a dozen children from 1st to 5th grade come to school energetically every day.
However, as the number of students increases, the range of diversity among the children naturally expands. As a core philosophy of CAN!P, we value being thoroughly close to the "individual" above all else.
That is precisely why it is an everyday occurrence that the expansion of that diversity sometimes exceeds the imagination and skills we staff have had until now.
"How can I light the fire of learning for the child in front of me today?"
While asking that question with no correct answer, we adults also feel frustrated every day, rack our brains, and continue to explore more than anyone else.
I believe that education is something thatbegins to regress the moment you decide to maintain the status quo, thinking 'this is good enough'.
The attitude of constantly exploring possibilities by asking 'is there more we can do' and continuing to challenge ourselves without setting limits is what is needed on the front lines right now.
And, as a further expansion of our business, we have entered a phase where wewill explore the possibility of opening a junior high school division in the future.
When the children currently attending become junior high students, we don't want their learning options to be cut off.
We want to create those options with our own hands and figure out how to realize them in a sustainable way.
Right now, we are in the middle of thinking through everything, including the business model, while repeatedly changing our plans within the team.
To you who want to create your "ideal education" with your own hands.
The front lines at CAN!P are not all pretty. There is a lot of gritty work where we face the diversity of children head-on every day and carve out solutions to problems with no right answers through our own actions.
That is precisely why I believe that for people in their 20s and 30s who want to "launch a new educational business from scratch" or "become an overwhelming stakeholder in a rapidly changing venture," this is an experience that cannot be matched, rather than just following a prepared manual.
If you are interested in "getting a feel for the atmosphere on the front lines" or "felt excited about the plan to launch a junior high school division," please let's have a casual interview and share our honest thoughts!
▼Click here for CAN!P's casual interviews and open positions