The Education in Japan

Learning objectives:
1.To have an overview on Japans
Educational System.
2.To have knowledge on what kind
of Educational system Japan has
as one of the top performing
countries in education.
3.To grasp ideas as to what
differences exist between Japanese
and Philippines Educational
Systems.
 HISTORY

 6th century begin the formal education in Japan with the adaptation of
Chinese culture.
 Buddhist and Confucian teaching as well as sciences, calligraphy, divination
and literature were taught at the court of Asuka.
 In 701, the Taiho Code established schools for the children of the nobility, in
both the capital and the provinces.
 Edo period (1603–1868) that education became widespread among both the
elite and the common people.
 Education in the Edo period was primarily based on Confucian concepts that
emphasized rote learning and study of the Chinese classics. Two main types of
schools developed. The first type was the domainal Komaba campus, the
University of Tokyo schools (hanko), which totaled around 270 by the end of
the period and provided education primarily to children of the samurai class.
The second type was the terakoya schools, which enrolled the children of
commoners as well as samurai and concentrated on moral training and
teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic.
  1868 Meiji restoration, the methods and structure 0f Western learning were
adopted, as a means to make Japan a strong modernization. Students and high
ranking government officials were sent abroad to study.
 1890s schools were generating new sensibilities regarding childhood, since then,
Japan had numerous reforms child experts magazine editors, and well educated
mothers who brought into the new sensibility.

POST- WAR WORLD II

 After the defeat WW II, the allied occupation government set an education reform.
The primary goal is to eradicate militaries teaching and “democratize Japan”.
 The education system was rebuilt after the American model (6-3-3-4 system)
 The aim of education is easing the burdens of entrance examination, and promoting
internationalization and information technology, and diversifying education and
supporting life long learning.
 MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology) responsible
for educational administration.
Fundamental Principles of Education in
Japan
 Basic principles of education n Japan are provided in the
Constitution of Japan enacted in 1946 and in the Basic Act on
Education revised 2006.
 The Constitution provides for the basic right and duty of the
people to receive education as follows:
• All people shall have the right to receive an equal education corresponding to their
abilities, as provided by the law.
• The people shall be obligated to have all boys and girls under their protection
receive general education as provided for by law. Such compulsory education shall
be free.
 The Act defines the aim of education as “to receive the full
development of personality and to nurture individuals with
sound minds and bodies equipped with necessary capabilities
as builders of a peaceful and democratic state and society”
 Education System
SOCIAL EDUCATION – is used as a general term for organized educational
activities (including those for physical education and recreation). Major social education facilities
include citizen public halls, public libraries, museums, and audio-visual centers and libraries.

•Citizen Public Halls – are key facilities for social education in the community. They
undertake a variety of education, academic and cultural programs adapted to the
practical lives of community people. They are carrying out a variety of activities which
include organizing different kinds of courses, classes, lectures and exhibitions,
lending books, and holding meeting for physical training and recreation.
• Public Libraries – are social educational facilities which collect, arrange and
keep books and written records to make them available for public use and thus
respond to the publics needs and demands for educational, culture, research and
recreational activities.
• Museum – are intended to be utilize as social educational facilities by the public in
their educational, cultural research and recreational activities, by means of collecting ,
keeping and displaying materials on history, the arts, folklore, industry and natural
sciences.
•Audio-visual Centers and Libraries - make audio-visual teaching materials available to
schools, social education facilities and community people, and also provide them with advisory
and other services concerning the use of audio-visual aids in education.
 Education System

Enrollment are Classified by type of Course

•In Japan the differentiation of courses begins after

completing compulsory education.
•The distribution of students by major fields of study
varies among national, local public and private
institutions.
 Education System
School Teachers
The majority of teachers at the elementary, lower secondary,
upper secondary and special needs schools are working at local
public schools. While the majority of teachers at kindergarten,
junior college, special training schools and miscellaneous
schools are employed at private institutions.
Female teachers has bigger percentage compare to male
teachers.
Most kindergarten and elementary school teacher are assigned
to single classes, and are responsible for teaching all or most
subject to the class.
In elementary schools there are small number of teachers
specializing in each of the practical subject such as music, arts
and handicrafts, physical education and home economics,
because teaching these subjects requires special competence
for teachers.
 Instruction in lower secondary schools the majority of
the teachers are specialists responsible for teaching
one or two subject areas to several classes of
children.
 Instruction in the upper secondary schools, majority
of teachers teach only one subject area or even only
one subject.
 The standard size per class for elementary and
secondary schools is 40 students.
 Most teachers of elementary and secondary level
education are trained at universities accredited by
the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science
and Technology.
 In order to become an elementary or secondary
school teacher, it is necessary to obtain a teaching
certificate from a relevant prefectural board of
education, after meeting prescribed requirements.
 Provide training to teachers who have reached their
10th year in the teaching profession in order to
improve their skills in teaching the content of
textbooks and in providing student guidance,
according to their individual abilities and aptitude.
 Furthermore, a variety of training programs for
developing leaders in school education and for
addressing urgent challenges are provided at the
Independent Institution National Center for Teacher’s
Development.
 In order to promote leading teachers who has
international perspective, every year National
Center for Teacher’s Development executes a
program for providing teachers for elementary
and secondary with an opportunity to visit
other countries, in order to help improve
teaching of foreign languages.
 Education System
School Calendar
oThe school year in Japan usually begins on April 1
and ends on March 31 of the following year.
oIn elementary, lower secondary and upper
secondary schools, school years are usually divided
into three terms: April through July, September –
December, and January- March
oSome of them adopt a semester system (usually, the
first semester comprises April- September and the
secondary October - March). Institution of higher
education usually adopt a two-semester academic
year.
o At all schools levels, vacation are granted in summer (from
around the end of July - August). In winter (from the end of
December to early January) and in Spring (at the end of the
school year).
o In general the education institutions in Japan are closed on
Sundays and on the national holidays listed below:
New Years Day January 1
Adults Day Second Monday of January
National Foundation Day February 11
Spring Equinox Day Day of Spring equinox
Greener Day April 29
Constitution Memorial Day May 3
Children's Day May 5
Marine Day Third Monday of July
“Respect for the Aged” Third Monday of September
Autumnal Equinox Day Day of Autumnal equinox
Health-Sports Day Second Monday of October
Culture Day November 3
Labor Thanksgiving Day November 23
The Emperor’s Birthday December 23
 Education System
Organization of the School System in Japan:

1)Kindergartens
2)Elementary Schools
3)Lower Secondary Schools
4)Upper Secondary Schools
5)Schools for Special Needs Education
6)Institution of Higher Education
- Universities
- Junior Colleges
- College of Technology
1)Specialized Training Colleges
 The Basic Education
o Kindergarten
– are non-compulsory schools intended to help infants develop
their minds bodies, and are places that lay foundation in
preparation for compulsory and further schooling by providing
appropriate learning environments for the sound development
of infants.
- The school education Act prescribes that kindergartens may
admit preschool children who have reached the age of three
and have not reached the compulsory school age of six.
- Predominantly staffed by young female junior college
graduates.
- Classes minimum of 4 hours, either in the morning, or in the
moving through lunch time.
- Children start learning one of the two Japanese syllabic script.
o Elementary Education
– All children who have attained the age of 6 are required to
attend elementary school for six years.
- Attendance for the six years of elementary education is
compulsory.
- Ninety-nine percent of elementary schools are public
coeducational institutions.
- A single teacher is assigned to each class and responsible for
instruction in most subjects, with the exceptions generally
being subjects such as music and art.
- In 2011, the maximum class size at a public elementary school
was 35 for 1st-grade classes and 40 for other grades.
- In principle, classes are not segregated based on student
ability, but for instruction in certain subjects students might be
divided up into groups taking proficiency level into account.
- The curriculum includes the following subjects: Japanese
language, social studies, arithmetic, science, life environmental
studies, music, arts and crafts, physical education, and
homemaking.
- Requirements also include extracurricular activities, a moral
education course, and integrated study, which can cover a wide
range of topics (international understanding, the environment,
volunteer activities, etc.).
- Reading and writing are perhaps the most important parts of
the elementary school curriculum; in addition to the two
Japanese syllabaries, students are expected to learn at least
1006 Chinese characters by the end of the sixth grade.
- Elementary teachers are generally responsible for all subjects
and classes remain in one room for most activities.
- Most teachers about 60% of the total are wome, but most
principals and head teachers are men.
- Teachers have ample teaching materials and audio-visual
equipment. There is an excellent system of education and
television and radio.
- Almost elementary schools use programs prepared by the
School Education Division of Japan Broadcasting Corporation.
- In addition to broadcast media schools increasingly equipped
with computers.

o Lower Secondary School/ Junior High

- Attendance for the three years of junior high school education is
compulsory.
- From grade 7-9th children between the ages of 12 – 15 ,
increased focus on the academic studies.
- More than 90 percent of junior high schools are public
coeducational institutions. Each year students are assigned to a
homeroom with a maximum of 40 students.
- For the most part, classes are not segregated based on ability,
but some schools have implemented streaming systems for
math and English classes.
- The standard curriculum includes the following required
subjects: Japanese language, social studies, mathematics,
science, a foreign language elective (almost always English),
music, fine arts, health and physical education, and industrial
arts or homemaking.
- Requirements also include extracurricular activities, a moral
education course, and integrated study.
- The teaching force in lower secondary schools 2/3 are male.
- Teacher often majored in subjects they taught and more than
80% graduated from 4 year college.
- The teacher, however, rather than the students move to a new
room for each fifty minutes period.
- Instruction in lower secondary schools tend to rely on the
lecture method.
- Teacher used other media, such as television, radio, and there
is some laboratory work.
- Classroom are equipped with computers
 Curriculum and Textbook
Curriculum in Kindergarten and Elementary and
Secondary Schools

The role as a central education authority in Japan is assigned

to MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and
Technology) responsible for educational administration.
Mission is to foster creative people with warm-hearted human
nature specially by advancing education and promoting lifelong
learning.
To encourage academic, sporting and cultural activities as well
as comprehensive progress in scientific technologies.
And carry out properly religious administrative affairs.
 Curriculum in Kindergarten
- aims, to be achieved by children by the end
of the course with regard to their emotions,
willingness and attitudes, as well as specific ,
these aims and contents are set forth in each
five aspects of children's development: health,
human relations, environment, language and
expressions. Through the instruction centered
around play.
- This aims are to be achieved
 Curriculum in Elementary, and Lower
secondary School
- All elementary, junior high, and high schools are obliged to use
text books that have been evaluated and approved by the
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and
Technology. The purpose of the official authorization system,
which has been in effect since 1886, is the standardization of
education and the maintenance of objectivity and neutrality
on political and religious issues. A system of free distribution
of textbooks for compulsory education was established in
1963. The textbooks used in each public school district are
chosen from among government authorized candidates by
the local board of education based on a review by the
prefectural board of education. At private schools, the school
principal is responsible for the choice.