The Japanese system of education and upbringing is significantly different from the Western one. It is closely related to Japanese culture and lifestyle. The beginning of the school year is not in September, but in April. Depending on the school, children study either five or six days a week. There are three semesters a year, between which - in winter and spring - there are short holidays. Longer rest in summer, it lasts one month. More details about the Japanese system of education and upbringing will be discussed in the article.
Three steps in learning
The Japanese school education system consists of them. Among them:
- First stage - elementary school with a term of study of 6 years.
- Second stage - high school, where students study for 3 years.
- Third stage - high school, where they study for 3 years.
The first two stages - primary and secondary schools - are strictly compulsory, and the third is optional. But,despite the optional high school, among Japanese students, the completion rate is approaching 96.
Preschool education
In Japan, it is presented in three forms:
- Crèche.
- Kindergartens.
- Special schools for the disabled.
Children up to the age of 6 are admitted to the nursery. But there they do not receive educational training. In kindergartens, from 3 to 6 years of age, preparation for primary school is carried out. Fun fact: Uniforms are often mandatory in kindergartens in Japan.
Types of kindergartens
They are public and private. Among them, for example,
- Hoikuen is a state nursery. Children are accepted here from the age of 3 months. He works from morning to evening and on Saturday half a day. Children are identified here by contacting the municipal department located at the place of residence. This requires both parents to work. Payment is made depending on the amount of family income.
- Yetien are both private and public gardens. In them, children spend no more than 7 hours, from 9 to 14, if their mothers work no more than 4 hours daily.
- Elite - they are patronized by prestigious universities. When a child ends up in such an institution, it is a huge plus for his further education. After that, he will study at a university school and then enter the university without exams. To get here, the child needs to pass a difficult test, and parents– part with a large sum of money.
Team relations
Japanese kindergartens have rather small groups of six to eight people. Their composition is reformed every six months. This is due to giving kids more opportunities for socialization. A child may not develop relationships in a group, but in another he may find friends. Teachers also change all the time so that children do not get used to them much. It is believed that in this way there is a dependence of pupils on their mentors.
Japan prefers not to compare children with each other. The teacher never singles out the best, and he does not scold the worst. Parents are also not told that their child is the best at running or drawing badly. It is not customary to single out anyone in Japan. Even in sports activities there is no competition. Either friendship or one of the teams always wins. "Don't stand out!" - this is the most important principle of Japanese life and the Japanese system of education and upbringing.
The other side of the coin
However, this principle often leads to unsatisfactory results. The main task of pedagogy in Japan is to educate a person who knows how to get along with the work team. After all, Japanese society is a society based on groups. However, the bias allowed towards group consciousness often leads to a lack of ability to think independently.
In the minds of children, the idea of conforming to a single standardrooted very firmly. There are times when someone who insists on his opinion is subjected to ridicule and even experiences hatred from his peers. In Japanese schools today, such a phenomenon as "ijime" is common. In terms of its meaning, this concept approaches the hazing that is present in our army. A non-standard student is a person who is often bullied and beaten.
Everything according to the instructions
Japanese students must strictly follow the rules. Permissible norms are determined in advance in any activity, even if it is creative. For example, if students decide to make a video about their school, they cannot do it themselves. For them, the duration will be determined without fail, the main shooting objects will be outlined, and the functions of each of the participants in the process will be clearly indicated.
Solving a math problem in an original way is likely to be accompanied by a teacher's remark that this way is inappropriate. Following instructions is valued much more than improvisation, however talented.
Care and attention needed
The Japanese themselves note the shortcomings of their pedagogical system of education. In the press, they often note the urgent need for creative individuals, as well as the need to identify gifted children at an early age. However, to date, the problem remains unresolved.
In Japan, there are phenomena that are often characteristic of Russia. It's the rise of a teenagerinfantilism, rejection of criticism from adults by young people, manifestation of aggression against elders, including parents.
At the same time, Japanese parents and teachers are characterized by a caring and sensitive attitude towards children, close attention to their problems, and responsibility for their fate. These qualities can be learned from the Japanese.
Primary school
Enter from the age of six and study for six years. At this stage of education they teach:
- Japanese;
- Japanese calligraphy;
- arithmetic;
- music;
- art;
- labor;
- physical education;
- life basics;
- humanities, natural sciences.
In private schools, there are additional subjects, which can be, for example, secular ethics, religious studies. There are no national textbooks in the Japanese education system. It is mandatory for students to clean the school premises and wear school uniforms. In public schools, boys and girls study together, while in private schools there are two options.
Secondary education in Japan
It lasts three years. Mandatory study:
- state language;
- from the humanities - geography, history, social studies;
- from natural - physics, chemistry, biology, geology;
- algebra and geometry;
- music;
- physical education;
- labor;
- English;
- fine art.
Bsome of the private schools additional subjects are secular ethics and religious studies. At class hours they study pacifism and the history of the region. Just like in elementary school, uniforms and cleaning are required.
High School
In the Japanese education system, it is represented by such components as: middle senior and technical school. They enter it from the age of 15. What age do people finish school in Japan? This happens at 17-18 years old, as it is taught for three years.
Both private (55%) and public schools are paid. There is a specialization in natural and humanitarian subjects. The main goal of education is to enter the university. Study here:
- state language – modern and ancient;
- humanities: geography, world history and Japanese history;
- social sciences: sociology, ethics, political science, economics;
- algebra and geometry;
- natural sciences: physics, chemistry, biology, geology;
- art: music, visual arts, design, crafts;
- labor;
- physical education;
- computer science;
- English.
Among the specialized subjects to choose from in high school in Japan are:
- agronomy;
- industry;
- trading;
- fishing;
- medical training;
- welfare;
- foreign languages.
In private schools, other subjects are taught as additional ones. There are also no nationwide textbooks in high school, there areuniform and cleaning required. Education in public institutions is joint. Japanese calligraphy, political economy, athletics, judo, kendo, kyudo are taught at electives and clubs.
Exams
As a rule, they are more difficult for Japanese students. Each of them takes place over the course of several hours. Due to their complexity, it takes a long time to prepare for them. There is evidence that some students can't handle the pressure and commit suicide.
There are no exams in elementary school, but in middle and high school they are taken five times a year. This occurs at the end of all trimesters, as well as in the middle of the first two. Those held in the middle of the period test students' knowledge in subjects such as:
- Japanese and English;
- social science;
- math;
- natural sciences.
At the end of each semester, there is a comprehensive knowledge test in absolutely all subjects. Exam scores determine whether a student can progress from middle school to high school. Upon receipt of high scores, a transition to a prestigious educational institution is possible. At the end of other schools, the chances of entering a university are sharply reduced.
Wearing the uniform
Uniforms appeared in Japanese schools towards the end of the 19th century. Today it is required in most public and private schools. In Japanese, its varieties are indicated as follows:
- fuku, seifuku is "form";
- sailor fuku -this is the “uniform of a sailor”, it is also a “sailor suit”.
In elementary school, boys usually wear white shirts. Shorts are short, they are black, white, dark blue. They also wear black or, conversely, bright caps.
Japanese school uniform for girls in elementary school most often consists of a white blouse and a gray long skirt. In accordance with the season, the form changes somewhat. Bright hats are widely used.
In middle and high school, boys' uniforms lean toward the military, while girls wear sailor suits. It is based on military clothing dating back to the Meiji period (1868-1912) but is modeled after a European marine uniform.
At the same time, many of the schools today are transitioning to styles similar to those worn in western parochial schools. Boys have a white shirt with a tie, a sweater with the image of the school coat of arms and pants. The girls wear a white blouse with a tie, a coat of arms sweater, and a plaid woolen skirt.
Gakuran and sailor suit
In many middle and high schools, boys wear gakuran. This is a black, brown or navy suit. It resembles a Prussian military uniform. The hieroglyphs that denote the concept of "gakuran" mean "Western student." Similar clothes are worn by South Korean schoolchildren, and also, until 1949, were also worn by Chinese.
The sailor suit is a type of Japanese school uniform for girls, which is quite common in middle and high school. Less common ininitial. In contrast to the gakuran, the appearance of the sailor suit has many variations. Most often, the uniform includes a blouse with a sailor collar and a pleated skirt.
Some details may change as the season changes. Such as material, sleeve length. Sometimes a ribbon is tied in front, which is pulled through the loop on the blouse. Instead of a ribbon, there can be a bow, tie, neckerchief. Most common uniform colors:
- black;
- light green;
- dark blue;
- gray;
- white.
Socks, shoes, and other accessories may be part of the uniform. The socks are usually dark blue, white, black, and the shoes are black or brown. Some of the schools become famous for their uniforms, which are often associated with carefree youth. In otaku culture, the sailor suit plays a big role. Characters wearing school uniforms are featured in numerous anime and manga.
Higher education
According to 2005 data, about 3 million students studied at 726 Japanese universities. To obtain a bachelor's degree, as in the European one, the Japanese education system assumes four years of study. A six-year program is provided to achieve a master's degree.
There are two types of universities - national and state. The first of them - 96, and the second - 39, the rest are private institutions. A feature of higher education in Japan is that there is practically no free education here. So,according to 2011 data, out of almost 3 million students, only about 100 received scholarships from the Japanese government. These are the most unsecured and the most talented of all. At the same time, scholarships are given on a refundable basis and do not fully cover tuition costs.
Ranking of universities
According to Quacquarelli Symonds' 2015 rankings, the top 30 universities in Asia ranked among the top 30 universities in Japan, such as:
- Tokyo University - 12th;
- Osaka - 13th;
- Kyoto - on the 14th;
- Tokyo Institute of Technology - 15th;
- Tohoku University - 20th;
- Nagoya - on the 21st;
- Hokkaido - 25th;
- Kyushu University is on the 28th.
Students studying at prestigious private universities such as Nihon, Tokai, Waseda, Keio are the future elite. They, regardless of the grades based on the results of passing exams and speci alties, after receiving a diploma, are guaranteed successful employment. They tend to become senior managers or government officials. Getting into such universities without special training and recommendations is unrealistic.
The competition for the top educational institutions mentioned above is incredibly high, but the fees are much lower than in prestigious private ones. Those established in the prefectures charge a small tuition fee and the competition is relatively low. In small private universities, you need to pay a lot of money for education, but the diplomas issued in them are notare prestigious, and they do not guarantee employment.
For international students
The level of education in Japan is very high. It is not surprising that many foreign citizens want to study in this country. There are two options for them:
- Full course university education lasting four to six years. Its cost varies from 6 to 9 thousand US dollars. The entrance exam approach is very strict, plus knowledge of Japanese is required.
- Short-term course of university education, lasting two years. It costs much less and requires knowledge of English.
To receive postgraduate education, you need to apostille your existing diploma before submitting it in Japan. Since this country is a party to the Hague Convention, an Apostille can be used instead of legalization.
Regardless of the country, all students are provided with the same opportunities in higher education. Naturally, at the same time, you need to successfully pass the exams and pay the tuition fee.
