The Educational System in Japan

1. THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN JAPAN GENEVIEVE EDRALIN-LUSTERIO REPORTER

2. The Japanese educational system was reformed after World War II. The old system 6-5-3-3 was changed to 6-3-3-4 (6 years of elementary school, 3 years of Junior high school, 3 years of Senior high school and 4 years of university). This system was implemented by the School Education Law enacted in March 1947.

3. Ministry of Education – closely supervises curriculum, textbooks, classes and maintains a uniform level of education throughout the country. * Education is compulsory in elementary and in lower secondary levels (Junior high school). * Most schools operate on three-term system ( summer-winter-spring).

4. * Schools open in April and ends in March the next year which was modelled after the French school system. * Japanese students spend 240 days a year in school, 60 days more than their American counterparts(Johnson & Johnson,1996). * Average school day on weekdays is 6 hours. After school hours, children have drills and other homework to keep them busy.

5. * Vacations are 6 weeks in summer and about 2 weeks each for winter and spring. * In public elementary and Junior h igh schools, school lunch is provided on a standardized menu and is eaten in the classroom. * Junior high schools require their students to wear school uniform.

6. SCHOOL CULTURE Japanese school system controls the individual by observing group rules. * Since preschool, children learn to maintain cooperative relationship with their peers, to follow the set school routines and to value relationship. * In the elementary, one teacher teaches all subjects in the class.

7. . * Students are taught proper manners, how to speak politely, how to address adults and to relate to their peers in the appropriate manner. 100% of all students complete elementary school, more than 90% graduate from high school & 40% graduate from college. * In Junior high school, instruction is intense, structured, fact-filled and routine-based.

8. * In higher education, students took entrance exams to “ first tier universities”. E ach academic year has 2 semesters which starts in April. * General degrees are four-year degrees adapted from the American system. * Despite the institutional change and sweeping national reforms, the key problems remained unresolved: the pyramidal- structure of the university system and entrance exam wars, the centrally-controlled curriculum and lack of individuality of students as well as lack of competitiveness in educational suppliers.

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