本文以《茗荷谷文書》的檔案及報章雜誌的報導為主要材料，藉由義務教育制度施行的討論為中心，嘗試描繪日本殖民統治末期臺灣的教育政策的決策過程及地方社會的教育狀況。 　　義務教育自日本領有臺灣以後即不斷被提出，並於1922年第三回臺灣總督府評議會做成終將施行的決議，但是真正做為政策課題是要到1930年代以後，其背景之一是1935年地方自治選舉的實施，讓臺灣總督府及地方指導者感到加速普及教育的迫切性。1938年在戰爭動員的人力資源考量下，正式起動各項準備工作。首先是在總督府文教局學務課設置新的「調查係」，專職負責義務教育相關事項的調查。翌年10月提出義務教育施行草案，經地方長官意見交換會討論後，向總督府評議會提出諮詢，得其同意後，公布「義務教育實施要綱」，便開始進行與日本中央協商、財政規劃、及法令修改等準備工作。1941年，臺灣與日本內地同步施行國民學校制度，義務教育則如預定，於1943年起實施。 　　義務教育於戰爭末期的實施，從統治者方面來看，無疑是為了配合戰爭動員的需要，特別是預想徵兵制必將施行，而期待透過擴大基礎國民教育來培養國家所需的人力資源。另一方面，臺灣社會自1920年代的民族運動以來，即從啟蒙主義的觀點主張應在臺灣施行義務教育；1930年代後期總督府再度提出義務教育的政策課題時，臺灣社會很機靈地借用統治者的說詞，來提出義務教育的要求。從1939年公布到1943年實施的3年半準備期間，各地方確實用很快的速度擴充教育設施。教育擴充的財政基礎主要是來自國庫補助，但是，實際上，還是有相當的部分是出於渴切更多教育機會的地方民眾。

With reference to "Gaimusho Myogadani Kenkyusho Kyuzo Kiroku” and newspapers, this study traces the policy-making process of introducing compulsory education in Japanese colonial Taiwan, and explores how the major financial problem was solved. Moreover, this paper also describes the expansion of compulsory education and the reactions of the local society. Despite having been proposed since Japan colonized Taiwan, the compulsory education issue was only taken seriously in the 1930s. Its implementation was fostered by the first local elections to be held in 1935, making not only the local elite but also the colonial government sense the urgency of introducing compulsory education. Added to this reason was the great need for human resources to meet wartime mobilization. Hence, the Bureau of Culture and Education set up a new investigation department to survey on the related issues. According to their reports and suggestions, the colonial government established an Interim Education Commission to draft the concerned policies. Approved by the Advisory Council of the Governor-General of Taiwan, the "Compulsory Education Guidelines" were promulgated and then put to practice in 1943. The years between 1939 and 1943 witnessed tremendous growth of education facilities in each locality. The number of classes increased by 4,000 and the enrolment rate of school-age children rose from 50% to 70%. The funding for such large-scale expansion came mainly from the government but the general public who yearned for more education opportunities also made considerable financial contribution.

義務教育;《茗荷谷文書》;教育財政;教育擴充;國民學校

Compulsory Education; Gaimusho Myogadani Kenkyusho Kyuzo Kiroku; Education Finance; Education Expansion; Kokumin Gakko