Since 1947
Japan’s education system includes 6 years in elementary school starting at age
6, 3 years in junior high and 3 years in high school. Every student needs to stay in school through at least the 9th
grade when students are 15 years old.
98% of Japanese students go on to high school. Over 48% of high school students go on to college.
Education is considered of utmost importance to all Japanese
people. Since going to school and doing
well is so important to all Japanese families, students in junior and senior
high rarely misbehave. Teachers
(sensei) are so highly respected in Japan.
Education is so important because it determines the success of each
person.
Curriculum is the same, everywhere in the country, for the same
level class. The ministry of education
sets curriculum and when these goals must be taught. Teachers evaluate students to see if they are meeting the goals.
School
starts the second week of April. There
is a one week vacation in May. Summer vacation begins the third week of
July. School starts again in
September. Vacation comes again the
fourth week of December. School starts
again the second week of January.
School ends for the year the third week of March.
All students
stay together in the same class for grades 1 through 6. Teachers change each year but the students
stay together as a class. No matter if
a child is average, high or low, everyone works together as a member of a
group. There’s cooperative learning.
Junior and
senior high students participate in after school clubs. You are to do one club
for the entire three years of junior high.
Students are taught it is important to stick to one activity. You can do activities like kendo (self
defense), karate, judo, softball, tennis, band, baseball, newspaper, badminton,
gymnastics, and art classes.
There are
many challenges in the educational system.
The Ministry of Education, a part of the national government, has
developed a plan to change the education of Japan to address the serious
problems Japan has seen in society and to plan for the future.
Until April
of 2002 students went to school 5 days a week and every other Saturday. Now there has been a reduction in classroom
hours and a reduction of 30% of curriculum core subjects. The Ministry of Education wants students now
to solve new problems and think for themselves. The Japanese ministry wants an academic environment that is
enjoyable and free of worries.
Administrators and teachers want children be kind to others. School should foster a “zest” for
living. The restructuring is intended
to de-emphasize memorization, drills and tests and cultivate a passion for
learning. Japan wants students to now
be creative. There may be no homework
in the regular school. Japan is looking
at America for clues to educational improvement.
Teachers are
feeling pressure. They are trying to think how to respond to this new trend
without lowering scholastic achievement.
Because children are still under so much pressure, some commit suicide.
Traditional
parents base their success on the success of their children. If children are successful and do well in
school then society considers them to be good parents. They feel students are now in chaos. Some parents have switched their students to
private schools because they still want the intense education.
Parents and businesses have criticized this new curriculum since there’s still a lot of competition in Japanese schools. The entrance exams to high schools and colleges haven’t changed. These tests rely on intense memorization. Students study very hard for entrance exams. Students take and pass tests after junior high to enter high school. After high school they take exams to go to college. Because entrance exams are so difficult some students go to juko. These are private cram schools that offer organized lessons after school hours and on weekends. These cram schools also act as meeting places for children. Other students have tutors who assist them with schoolwork at home and help them get ready for the high school.