Outline 1. School system 2. Provision 3. Achievement 4. Educational issues 5. Educational reform

1. School system (MEXT 2003) _ Primary Schools for 6 years _ Lower secondary Schools for 3 years _ Upper secondary school for 3 years _ Universities for 4 years or Junior Colleges for 2 years _ Master for 2 years (Full-time) _ Phd for 3 years (Full-time)

Compulsory education 1. Primary Schools _ Enrollment rate 99.9% _ National & Public schools 23,633 (99%) 2. Lower Secondary Schools _ Advancement rate 99.9% _ National & Public schools 11,134 (93%)

Post compulsory education Upper Secondary Schools _ Advancement rate 97% (Male 96%, Female 97%) _ National & Public schools 5,450 (75%) * The five-year secondary schools have been established

Higher Education 1. Universities 2. Junior Colleges _ Advancement rate 45% (Male 42%, Female 47%) _ National & Public 238 (19%) Private 989 (81%) * Turning National Uni. into Corporations Reorganization and Consolidation

Further education Specialized Training Colleges _ Advancement rate 21% _ Students ratio Male 47%, Female 53% _ National & Public 322 (6%) Private 5,072 (94%)

2. Provision (MEXT 2003) Class and Teacher

Funding of public education in 2000 _ Japan 3.5% of GDP _ France 5.7 ％ _ USA 4.8 ％ _ England 4.5 ％ _ Germany 4.3 ％

Budget 2003 ($57 billion)

Facilities _ New construction and extension of public school buildings, gymnasiums _ Emergent consolidation of the facilities of national universities _ Equip IT for primary and lower secondary schools

Continue _ To combine the school facilities with social education or welfare facilities

3. Achievement The OECD Programme for International Student Assessment, 2000 (MEXT 2003)

Japanese educational system seems to have succeeded _ High enrollment and advancement rate _ Comparatively low funding _ High achievement However...

4. Educational issues 1. Neglect of education oriented toward children’ individuality and competence Because _ The standardization from excessive egalitarianism _ The cramming of immoderate levels of knowledge

2. Bullying, non-attendance at school, violence in school, class disruption and continuing vicious crimes committed by youths. Because _ Urbanization, Declining birthrates _ Fall in educational functions in the home and society

3. Traditional educational systems are being marginalized. Because Transformation of society by the rapid progress of science and technology, socioeconomic globalization and computerization.

5. Educational reform The Seven Priority Strategies (MEXT 2003) 1. Improve students basic scholastic proficiency in “easy-to-understand classes”. 2. Foster open and warm-hearted Japanese though participation in community and various programmes. 3. Improve the learning environment to one which is enjoyable and free of worries.

Continue 4. Promote the creation of schools trusted by parents and communities. 5. Train teachers as “education professionals”. 6. Promote the establishment of world-class universities. 7. Establish a new educational vision for the new century and improve the foundations of education

Website _ OECD _ CIA (The world fact book) geos/ja.html _ Japan information network _ Ministry of Education (MEXT) _ OECD, PISA