2. Highly centralized and is
administered by the Mombusho or
Ministry of education
24 million students from
kindergarten through university
about ten percent going to the
university
one third go to private schools
rest are enrolled in the public school
system. (Abner, 2002)
3. The system gives us a
mental picture of obedient,
quiet school children
The 21st Century:
Environment, Economy and
society
4. “Japan’s educational system produces
students who perform far better on
international examinations than Americans
do, and Japanese students are indisputably
among the best in the world in solving
mathematical equations…Youngsters are
well behaved, envied around as law-
abiding: Japan’s low crime rates are well
known and widely envied around the world.
But what is even civility; graffiti and
vandalism are rare and school sports teams
not only bow to each other before the game
but rush over the opposing team’s stand
after the game to pay their respect. ”
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7. The Japanese educational System
is divided into five basic levels:
• Kindergarten
• Elementary school (six years)
• Lower secondary school (three
years)
• Upper secondary school (three
years)
• University (four years)
8. Preschools (yochien)
These are not official part of
the educational system
Prefectural boards license
teachers, appoint teachers to
public elementary and lower
secondary schools also license
preschools in their area
9. education is free and
compulsory for children
from 6-15 years
Lecture
students spend 243 days a
year in school
11. Lower secondary
Grade seven, eight and nine
2/3’s of teacher compose of
Men
Class size average is 38
Periods are 50 minutes
12. Upper secondary
Offer academic, technical and
vocational programs
First year courses include
Japanese language
English
Science
Math
Ranked based on their success in
placing graduating students into
prestigious universities.
15. 80% of universities in Japan are private
schools.
To enter a university the students have
to take two exams:
first one is a national achievement test
second one given by the university itself
which is highly competitive
Students who fail the test will take
another year to study and prepare to
take the test again. These students are
called Ronin, which originally meant
Samurai.
16. 60% of the universities have
graduate schools, but only 7% of
university graduate gets master’s
degree
At the doctorate level, students
enrol in medical programs and the
humanities.
Japanese education relies
heavily upon examinations