The teachers operate within the system they find themselves in, firstly. You forget, or choose to ignore, a few facts: Chinese factories in CHINA communicate in Chinese, or if overseas communicate with people who are largely fluent in both English and Chinese. Another very obvious supposed problem in Japan is poor English communication skills among the students and the general population at large. Problems With Today’s Education System. “The Japanese education system tries to minimize the gap between the good students and everyone else,” Takahashi told me. In 2002 the Ministry of Education began to implement educational reforms that officials labeled the most significant since the end of World War II. There is in general a perception that Japan's academic standards have been declining. I don't even see how he could lump the first two into educational problems.. ridiculous. It is giving its students a relevant, holistic and green education in one of the most amazing environments on the planet. Neglecting education is the exact opposite. Go to Manila. It didn't stop us putting children up chimneys, did it? Skip to main content ... in Japanese students by the second grade solving far more complex mathematical problems in terms of both basic numerical skills and in terms of quantitative reasoning than the majority of their peers in the United States. But perhaps one linked (but important) topic that needs to be touched on is how the Japanese evaluate their own education system. I linked this web page to a virtual educators group I belong, (with another hundred teachers from 3 continents) and this topic instantly became an all night subject. Students should not be forced to learn English. I'll just field this one quickly before I head to bed. How about starting to teach these kids some analytical thinking, instead of trying to turn them into workdrones? The theory about why Japanese students are not … Even though there are many problems in education, there are those of us who still strive to change preconceived conceptions of education one student at a time and the teacher will only ever appear when the student is ready. And, I love it when other parents or other people dictate what I should teach and what not to teach to my kids. Everybody should do their own research with this matter. Universities gained a brief respite after 2008 when the decline leveled off. much worse. Hojo, with the exception of guns, those other problems are all in schools here. Often that is accompanied by wilful and influential parent bodies with varying degrees of power. I am Spanish and sadly our English level is one of the worsts in the EU( I remember being taught how to use the verb "to be" till my last high school year). The equivalent in England and Wales is reception . So as with the non-cognitive segment, the cognitive skills segment for the Japanese proves to be mixed in terms of its limitations and successes (reading, writing, numeracy). Your posts have been lengthy here. This figure is indicative of the high standard of education in Japan. Because we, the human race, only advance if our children can have a better education and opportunities for themselves. This is a general fact of all subjects taught, and not just English. Why Japanese Education Succeeds: Amae, Stress and Perseverence, US President Obama's praising of the Korean education system, survey published in 2011 (Source in Japanese), Chinese third graders falling behind US high school students in Math, Science, Japan Times: Education in 2013: an "A" for ambition but Japan will have to do better, The Guardian: Why do Japanese children lead world numeracy and literacy, Higher Education and the Japanese Disease, I’ll be able to do most things if I put in effort. I never intended to criticise "non-intelligence" or judge anyone. The lack of competition among educational suppliers Students have different characters, and accordingly, educational theories must be diverse. In fact, I'd go so far as to call the Japanese education system criminal and the members of the Mombusho criminals. This is because professors are not part of the educational system. I cant stress this enough, DAILY. YES, discipline is a problem in schools here, because when corporal punishment was rightfully abolished (though some teachers STILL hit students!) average. It is exactly yochi-en where studying of hiragana, a Japanese syllabic script, starts. Not just 2 weeks. The percentage of students who go on to universities (undergraduate level) and junior colleges (regular courses) is also very high in Japan at 48.6%. The only way the state can provide something is by taking money from the citizens' pockets and using it. More accurately, minimal extra cost by way of school fees, uniforms, etc. But that didn't stop child labour, did it? Frankly it is a big part of Japan's financial woes that it has been so slow to accept the NEED for English. In contrast, the … Democracy works iff the citizens are virtuous. Though preschools are not compulsory and not free, more than 90% of Japanese students attend them. Problems in the Japanese Educational System The Japanese educational system, though, is not without its own problems in relation to discipline and student behavior. I'm from Singapore (no that's not in China) with a similarly brutal Asian education system. First starting in April this year there will no longer be any yutori education. All of junior high school and high school (as well as cram school) is spent preparing for exams that will - hopefully - get the student into a good university, from which he/she will be able to enter a large Japanese company and secure lifetime employment. I'm of the view that English should be an optional subject in Japanese schools, with the languages of Japan's neighbours also being taught, and with students required to select a language. Yeah, let's abolish all public schools, so all of these non-educational problems can dissapear. Easy. Should English be taught yes Japan is an Island. A big problem in society in general is that people fail to realize this one simple fact. One approach could be to start at the university level. The last time I attended a school, it was an art school or university, now many decades ago. This is why students in Japanese school do not stay for a second year – every student manages to solve his/her problems and become successful. Your article doesn't explain how abolishing the public school system in Japan and replacing it with a private system will be better than the current situation. Japanese students and the majority of the Japanese people do not speak English because they do not see the need for it. The rest is learned by using it. Parents should respect and support this. Also, to be successful in Japan does not require math, science, the ability to read, or, evidently, any knowledge of history. Yeah, I meant at no additional cost to the people after their taxes and what not. That was the Japanese education circle's thinking over 30 years ago. I get that JT is an English website and some will focus on English education but really, when it comes to issues in education here it is just the tip of the iceberg and one that gets focused on too often by the munkasho, the public and others when so much more weds to be focused on instead. Osaka's Hashimoto is going to make things WORSE with his ideas of how to 'improve' education if he has his way, because it will be based solely on monetary motivation -- rewards -- and not actual classroom rapport or performance. Honestly, it is a terrible waste of money. IT education is a subject in school so it's not as if they have zero technology education. The matter of English proficiency of teachers is frankly ignored, in spite of repeated studies and "action plans" from the national Education ministry. Johannes: There are a number of nations that have officially more than one national language. The media tends to report what is trendy. This would be wonderful. In Japan, eigo-kyouiku (English-language education) starts the first year of junior high school and continues at least until the third year of high school. This way everybody is happy. Professors do not teach at all and do not know anything about the education system. Because it is also other people's right to discipline other people's children. Back to education and the problems HERE, though, it's not just English of course, but everything. Of Africa. There are some major problems in today's education system, which should be addressed and solved, if the future of the country has to be secured. English is an international language, a very useful tool for gathering further education and communicating to the rest of the world, however it should not be forced on the students in the lousy condition that it is in. The Education System in Japan. Education in Japan: Past and Present The introduction of a modern education into Japan, taking several Western countries as models, began in the latter part of the 19th century. However, it is not because the Chinese have more English instruction. Note: BUT NOT ALL (in caps for those who have trouble reading). Japan has a very low number of lawyers. no more control by any institution, no institutions, competition will be a kind of "survival of the best". But, anyway. The theory about why Japanese students are not required to take exams until after fourth grade is that the Japanese value excellent manners. I didn't see them at my school and everyone I asked this weekend said the same. Solution? By virtue of having the most native speakers (though the difference isn't large for Spanish vs. English), they have more native speakers 'around the world'. It's impressive, given the easy access to information provided by the internet, low cost of travel, and relative affluence of most Japanese. How can kids concentrate in the extreme heat?! Oh wow, there's so much wrong with this article that I really struggle with where to start, but let's start here: To be clear, there was no real problem to begin with. Tama; I agree with most of what you said, but one point needs to be very clear: education canNOT be provided at "no cost by the state". So, how to fix this whole Japanese public educational debacle? While I agree with what Franks shares, I am still impressed when young people do have great English skills, do have dreams (and work their butts off to make them come true! Learning how to be Japanese is the number one goal of the system. One thing you took for granted is the cost. Yes, being proficient in English will be a definite advantage anywhere but it does not make it a necessity. Yes, there are many people and many professions within that don't need English in their daily lives, but, as has been mentioned, leaving things there is the kind of insular thinking and behaviour that will never help Japan grow as a country. March 13, 2014 Anyway, there are a LOT of problems indeed with the education system here, as with nations across the planet -- sometimes the same, sometimes different. Can't agree with this either. This is what eventually happens when anyone tries to solve a fictional problem. prostitution, violence, etc). Higashi-Azabu IS bldg, 4F And professors think and conclude because of the available data. I think you are taking a lot of things for granted. I've never understood why Japanese kids, in addition to full-time schooling, need hour after hour of cram school on top of their homework, plus regular weekend classes to learn less than any vaguely conscientious kid getting five days of school in Europe. There is nothing wrong with Japanese education. Oh, and Finland also banned private schools (public school for everyone)! But also partly because on the flip side many Westerners have an overly rosy view of Asia and its education – it seems as if the education systems of Asia are praised more outside of Asia than within it. A major cause is the excessive emphasis on rules and conformity, which creates a stifling atmosphere. No, they'll double down on the same old and failed approaches, believing that it is better to blindly "gambaru" than it is to "work smart." The current Japanese educational policies are misguided and misinformed. What about those professions where it is required? Dog and Tideofiron mostly nailed the correct answers. I know full well this won't happen any time soon however. Child discipline should only be between parents and their children. China, the fastest growing economy in the world, is also the country with the largest number of English speakers (admittedly most of them second or third language). Stats have shown that the overall bilingual fluency percentage increased, regardless of whether the kids were 'intelligent kids', as you say, or not. So, how to fix this whole Japanese public educational debacle? People fail to see that these kind of problems are not educational in nature at all. words written by The fact that only a tiny percentage of students will ever achieve this goal is irrelevant. But those of you that do I wish you every success with yr kids, however you wud want to measure that, I imagine most here with kids one parent isnt Japanes so that gives you ALL a HUGE leg up on the rest, keep up the good fight & pls try NOT to send yr kids to those cursed after school juku! Example, if a teacher is assigned to 2nd year English in the following year, the current years teachers won't offer them help, lesson plans, resource materials, etc. Schools do a decent job for the budget they are given, grant it, the schools are very old fashioned and run down and teachers do most of the administrative work on top of everything else, however, students are also forced to be more responsible and organized. It's been shown in study after study that privatizing industries and services formerly managed by the state results in higher costs to the consumer and a decline in services. Please do not be so obsessed with this topic. 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