Japanese Education System - Essay Example

Critically examine the origins of Japan's educational ideals and evaluate the argument that these ideals have increasingly become self defeating. Over the years, the Japanese education system has produced much success in various spheres. Students from Japan are more educated, score higher and do better academically as compared to their international counterparts. While these aspects make Japanese education a role model for many countries, it is important to know how much and how to adapt the successes of Japanese educational ideals into an international setup. It is also important that educational reformers and governments understand the difference between what has been good in the education of Japan and what can be termed as self defeating. To understand the difference better, given below is an understanding of the Japanese form of education and the various ideals that shape it. The Japanese system of education While official education in Japan begins from the first standard up till the ninth standard1, unofficially preschool is an important part of education too. A vast majority of Japanese children attend preschool after which the official education framework provides for free and compulsory schooling from grade one to grade nine. The syllabus is balanced, extensive and covers varied subjects like mathematics, sciences, social sciences and languages. Grades ten to twelve are known as upper secondary school. Though these grades are not compulsory, 94% of students do complete lower secondary schooling. One third of the students from upper secondary go into post graduate studies where universities offer complete four-year education and junior colleges offer two-years of education. Women's education is also given equal importance and opportunities are rendered to women through special universities or co-educational institutions. Japan's educational ideals The Japanese system of education has been influenced by various factors and ideals through its history, from the ancient, to the medieval and modern times. Even though foreign ideas have influenced the education system at times, and have rendered Western ideas of liberalization, it has gone back to its age old ideals. After the period of Meiji Restoration, study missions were sent to US, France and Russia and a national education system based on Western ideas was established. However, in a little while, some Western ideas like individualism were found unsuitable (Beauchamp, 1985) and soon most of traditional Japanese education was restored. What remained about the foreign influence was just the structure of grade school, junior high and high school. Coeducation and compulsory education up till the age of 15 were also retained. Japanese tradition gives importance to respect for society, team goals and hard work, factors that reflect in its education system as well. Academic excellence is stressed upon and statistics reveal that Japanese school children, begin to earnestly study right from kindergarten. The society of Japan is highly education-minded, disciplined, and morally inclined. While such a system has its benefits, over the years these ideals of education have had their negative impacts too. Here is a critical examination of the educational ideals that shape Japan and the benefits and ill effects the system has had on individuals and the society at large. Academic achievements Academic achievements are an important ideal in Japanese education. Students work hard to score well starting from the stage of kindergarten onwards. From childhood, students have to constantly cope up with learning, memorizing and passing examinations, a necessary prerequisite for admissions into college to pursue higher education. In many cases where student miss classes due to illness, parents take notes of lessons missed in class. Parents take serious part in parent-teacher meetings and also send their children to private tuitions2 so that they can score well in studies. A student's competence is tested in competitive college examinations, where high grades are vital for selection. Statistics also report that the academic achievement of students in Japan is extremely high as compared to international standards3. International tests in mathematics show Japanese children to consistently rank higher as compared to other students. Also the 3000 seats in universities go only to the 3000 top rankers. The remaining 38% of students have no option but to skip the year and attend tuitions. Such academic excellence is considered vital in the Japanese education system, an ideal that was influenced by Confucius, the 6th century B.C. Chinese philosopher. He propagated that success in academic life is the measure of an individual and reflects the honoring of mutual moral obligations. He also believed that learning must be perpetual and must be measured with frequent examinations. With a rigid focus on academic excellence, schools in Japan do not focus on creating a better society, but creating children who are better positioned for their future. Focus on higher ranks makes children more competitive and individualistic, and the purpose of making a better society is defeated. This excellence comes from children mostly learning everything sitting at their desks, and little hands on experience is offered. Education must not be pushed into children but children must be given the freedom to experience, enjoy and learn. That is the kind of education that a child would enjoy and benefit from. A high importance attached to university examinations and academic credentials has its ill effects that emerge through behavioural and adjustment problems for some students. Extensive syllabus and school time Japanese students also have a much comprehensive study syllabus. Elementary school students must learn to read music and play a simple instrument besides their academic curricula. Other extracurricular activities4, which though perceived vital for most school students are excused for the 95% that attend high school. Those final three years are dedicated to studying difficult subjects like the Japanese and Chinese classics and complex subjects like linear algebra, inorganic chemistry, mechanical and electronic physics and calculus. These topics covered at school level in Japan are normally taught at college levels in the UK and US. Statistics show that Japanese students even have more school days than many of their other counterparts. These students attend school for over 250 days a year, as compared to 170 days in the US. Saturdays are half days and students at times also attend special classes on Sundays. A popular adage in Japanese translates to say: "Sleep four hours, pass,";"Sleep five hours, fail." The concept for an extensive syllabus was influenced by various cultures. For example, Chinese teachings influenced Japan during the sixth to ninth centuries. The study of Latin, Western music and Japanese began in the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, when major European powers influenced the education in Japan. While an extensive syllabus allows a child to learn a lot of varied subjects in a short time period, often such education is not useful. When the student finally takes up a job, this education has little value, as it is theoretical, rather than practical. Also when education must be rendered as per the interest areas of the student, it has excessive uniformity, which is undesirable. Discipline and rigidity Discipline has had its benefits in influencing the Japanese education system that reflects in high rates of enrollment and retention of students. The rigidity also showcases itself in the centralized system of education where three levels of government administration5 are implemented. The Ministry of Education is at the top tier and is responsible for regulating the education system of not just public institutions, but also private institutions. Also while various education reforms are being considered, the Ministry of Education feels that the system is at its best and needs no further reforms. Statistics show that Japanese children begin to write paragraphs in the first grade, calculate percentages in the fifth grade and learn a foreign language (English) in the seventh grade, figures much ahead of other countries. The stress on discipline came during the Tokugawa period (1600-1867), during which foreigners were ordered out of Japan. Christianity had been shunned and all forms of foreign contact was forbidden. During this time, the education system formulated the important role of discipline and competent performance. After this came the Meiji regime, which slackened rules on religion but further strengthened the importance of discipline in education. While discipline and rigidity makes students learn more in a short span, students are not given the freedom of choice and have to go through studying the compulsory subjects whether they like them or not. These two aspects also considerably and adversely affect the creativity of students. As discipline and rigidity have had their positive effects, it is important that a balance be drawn between those two aspects while giving scope for more flexibility in education that allows a student's creativity to flourish. As per Dr. Takemitsu Hemmi, a professor of mental health at Tokyo University, firmness in schedule and regularity in work in Japanese schools, "produces a system where students are unable to discuss. They just say, they understand, not whether they agree or not. The system does not encourage great creativity or individuality." Moral and value education Moral education has been the core of Japanese traditional curriculum for years. It is the responsibility of the school to impart values such as piety, nationalism, loyalty etc. As per the standards set by the Minister of Education, Science and Culture, the course for moral education for both elementary and junior high schools, states that moral education must be provided throughout all the educational activities of the school. Therefore, clear instructions on moral development should be rendered both during special hours devoted to moral education and during time allotted for other subjects, in conformity with their respective characteristics (The Course of Study, Elementary School, 1989: 1). Six objectives of moral education are underlined.(1) foster the spirit of respect for human dignity and awe of life, (2) nurture the inheritance and development of traditional culture (3) nurture the development of a democratic society and state, (4) nurture ideas that can help towards realizing a peaceful international society, (5) nurture people who can make independent decision within the realm of responsibility (6) foster a sense of morality (The Course of Study, Elementary School, 1989: 105). Moral education and imparting of values is the job of schools in Japan. 'Good words and maxims and examples of good and Japanese noble deeds should be taught to impress those values more vividly on the mind.'(Pg 220, Education: Lectures Delivered in the University of London By Dairoku Kikuchi). Shinto, Buddhism and Confucianism have influenced Japan from the ancient and medieval times. These grew stronger during the Edo period (1603-1867) where the military (samurai) class imparted the values of justice, faithfulness, sense of shame and refined manners. Another influential period was during the Meiji restoration (1867) and the World War II (1945) when Sushin or self discipline began to play a vital role. During the traditional period, Americans saw this form of moral education as a hindrance rather than good and thus banned it. Five years later, moral education was restored, without its ultranationalist traps6. This element is an intrinsic part of the Japanese model of education and stresses on the importance of respect for the common good. After various additions and removals, the final form of moral education was seen to be greatly influenced by the dissemination of Kyoiku-chokugo7. Moral education is a vital ingredient for overall human development and the parameters clearly underline what the education must achieve. However, many experts feel that moral education begins at home. If the home encourages competitiveness and usage of 'all means' fair and foul for achieving academic excellence, the purpose of moral education is defeated. Also unless all people, at home and in school, stand on the single idea of 'respect and appreciation for others', it is difficult for children to understand the importance of the moral (Pg. 24, Guide for Elementary schools, 1989). Finally, moral education at school level must be carefully framed without any religious prejudices or it would do more evil than good and have a purpose that is self defeating. With different regimes giving and taking away some or the other aspect in education and learning, Japanese education system has become a melting pot for various cultures and forms of thinking since 1868. Major reforms also took place since 1945, but after all changes, the education system still reflects the long-standing philosophical and cultural ideals of Japan. Learning and education are considered vital and are pursued seriously. Moral and value education is considered an important subject to be taught at school and the profession of teaching is highly honored. Academic achievements and excellence is prized and the meritocratic legacy instilled during the Meiji period has endured. A centralized education structure has also remained. While all these elements give Japanese education its unique identity, it is vital that these ideals meet their objectives. Instead of creating a system where people are forced to think along the lines of others, the system needs to be much more flexible. Value education must be imparted at school level, but must begin from home. If only the environment of the home and the school teach the same lessons, moral education would have its impact. Finally discipline and rigidity must be loosened a little to let creativity bloom. Bibliography http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,921331-2,00.html http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-ADM/lumer.htm http://www.hi-ho.ne.jp/taku77/papers/thes595.htm The Course of Study, Elementary School, 1989 Japanese Education: Lectures Delivered in the University of London by Dairoku Kikuchi http://www2.kobe-c.ac.jp/watanabe/seminar/2000/takano.htm http://countrystudies.us/japan/77.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_education_in_Japan http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind06/c2/c2s4.htm Read More