The Japanese system of education and training differs significantly from the western. 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 in a year, between which - in winter and spring - short vacations. A longer vacation in the summer, it lasts one month. More details about the Japanese education and upbringing system will be described in the article.
Three steps in learning
It is from them that the Japanese school system of education consists. Among them:
- The first step is an elementary school with a term of study of 6 years.
- The second stage is a secondary school, in which they study for 3 years.
- The third level is a high school, where they study for 3 years.
The first two stages - primary and secondary schools - are strictly required, and the third - additional. But, despite the optionalness of high school, among Japanese schoolchildren, the percentage of its completion is close to 96.
Preschool education
In Japan, it is presented in three forms:
- Day nursery.
- Kindergartens.
- Special schools for the disabled.
In the nursery, children are taken up to 6 years. But there they do not receive educational training. In kindergartens from 3 to 6 years, preparation for elementary school is carried out. An interesting fact: in kindergartens in Japan it is often necessary to wear uniforms.
Types of kindergartens
They are public and private. Among them, for example,
- Hoykuen is a state nursery kindergarten. Children from 3 months old are accepted here. It works from morning until evening and Saturday noon. Here children are determined by contacting the municipal department located at the place of residence. This requires that both parents work. Payment is made depending on the size of family income.
- Etienne is 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 is in such an institution, this is a huge plus for his further education. After that, he will study at a university school, and then go to university without exams. To get here, the child needs to pass difficult testing, and parents need to part with a large sum of money.
Team Relations
Japanese kindergartens have rather small groups, which comprise from six to eight people. Their composition is reformed every six months. This is due to the provision of children with greater opportunities for socialization. The child may not have a relationship in the group, but in another he may find friends. Teachers are also constantly changing so that children do not get used to them. It is believed that in this way the pupils become dependent on their mentors.
In Japan, they prefer not to compare children with each other. The educator never highlights the best, and he does not scold the worst. Parents are also not told that their child runs best or draws poorly. It is not customary to single out anyone in Japan. Even in sporting events 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 workforce. After all, Japanese society is a society based on groups. However, the bias allowed in the direction of group consciousness often leads to a lack of ability to think independently.
In the minds of children, the idea of conformity to a single standard is rooted very firmly. There are times that one who insists on his opinion is ridiculed and even hated by peers. In Japanese schools today, the phenomenon of "ijime" is common. In meaning, this concept is approaching hazing present in our army. A non-standard student is a person who is often harassed and beaten.
All according to the instructions
Japanese students must strictly abide by the rules. Permissible norms are determined in advance in any activity, even if it is creative in nature. For example, if students decide to make a video about their school, they cannot do it on their own. For them, the duration will be determined without fail, the main filming objects are outlined, the functions of each of the participants in the process are clearly indicated.
The solution of the problem in mathematics in an original way, most likely, will be accompanied by a remark by the teacher that this method is inappropriate. Following instructions is much higher than improvisation, albeit talented.
Care and attention needed
The Japanese themselves note the shortcomings of their educational system of education. In the press, they often note the urgent urgency of the need for creative personalities, as well as the need to identify gifted children at an early age. However, today the problem remains unresolved.
In Japan, there are phenomena that are often characteristic of Russia. This is the growth of adolescent infantilism, the rejection of criticism from adults by young people, the 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, responsibility for their fate. You can learn these qualities from the Japanese.
Primary School
They enter it from the age of six and study for six years. At this stage of education they teach:
- Japanese language;
- Japanese calligraphy
- arithmetic;
- music
- art;
- work;
- physical education;
- basics of life;
- humanitarian, natural sciences.
In private schools, there are additional subjects that may be, for example, secular ethics, religious studies. There are no national textbooks in the Japanese education system. Mandatory for students are cleaning the school premises and wearing a school uniform. In public schools, boys and girls study together, and in private there are two options.
Secondary education in Japan
It lasts three years. They study without fail:
- official language;
- from the humanities - geography, history, social studies;
- from natural - physics, chemistry, biology, geology;
- algebra and geometry;
- music
- physical education;
- work;
- English language;
- art.
In some of the private schools, additional subjects are secular ethics and religious studies. At classroom hours, pacifism and the history of the region are studied. As in elementary school, wearing uniforms and cleaning are required.
High school
In the Japanese education system, it is represented by such components as: middle senior and technical school. It has been received since 15 years. How old are they in Japan? This happens at the age of 17-18, as they study in it for three years.
Both private (55%) and public schools are paid. There is a specialization in natural and humanitarian subjects. The main purpose of training is to go to university. Here they study:
- the official language is modern and ancient;
- humanities: geography, world and history of Japan;
- social sciences: sociology, ethics, political science, economics;
- algebra and geometry;
- natural sciences: physics, chemistry, biology, geology;
- art: music, art, design, crafts;
- work;
- physical education;
- computer science;
- English language.
Among the specialized subjects to choose from in Japanese high school are:
- agronomy;
- industry;
- trade;
- fishing;
- medical training;
- welfare;
- foreign languages.
In private schools, other subjects are taught as additional subjects. In high school there are also no national textbooks, there is a uniform and cleaning is required. Training in government institutions is joint. The optional courses and clubs are studying Japanese calligraphy, political economy, athletics, judo, kendo, kyudo.
Exams
As a rule, they are of great difficulty for Japanese students. Each of them takes several hours. Due to their complexity, preparing for them requires a long period. There is evidence that some students cannot withstand such a burden and commit suicide.
There are no exams in primary school, but in secondary and high school they are passed five times a year. This occurs at the end of all trimesters, as well as in the middle of the first two. Those that are held in the middle of the period test students' knowledge in such subjects as:
- Japanese and English;
- social science;
- mathematics;
- natural Sciences.
At the end of each semester there is a comprehensive test of knowledge in absolutely all subjects. Exam results determine whether a student can transfer from high school to high school. Upon receiving 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 uniform
In Japanese schools, uniforms appeared by the end of the 19th century. Today it is compulsory in most public and private schools. In Japanese, its varieties are indicated as follows:
- fuku, seifuku - this is "form";
- Sailor Fuku is a “sailor uniform”, aka “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.
The Japanese school uniform for girls in elementary school most often consists of a white blouse and a long gray skirt. In accordance with the season, the form changes slightly. Bright hats are very widespread.
In middle and high school, the uniform style of young men tends to the military, and the girls wear sailors. The prototype is military clothing dating back to the Meiji period (1868-1912), but it is modeled on the basis of a marine European uniform.
At the same time, many of the schools today are transitioning to styles similar to those worn in Western parish schools. For young men, this is a white shirt with a tie, a sweater with a school coat of arms and pants. Girls have a white blouse with a tie, a sweater with a coat of arms and a checkered woolen skirt.
Gakuran and sailor suit
In many high and high schools, boys wear hakuran. It is a black, brown or navy blue suit. It resembles a Prussian military uniform. The hieroglyphics that designate the concept of "gakuran" mean "Western student." Similar clothes are worn by South Korean schoolchildren, and also, until 1949, Chinese wore as well.
Sailor suit is a type of Japanese school uniform for girls, which is quite common in high and high school. Less common in primary. In contrast to gakuranu, the appearance of a sailor suit has many variations. Most often, a blouse with a sailor collar and a pleated skirt enter the form.
As the season changes, some details may change. Such as material, sleeve length. Sometimes a ribbon is knotted in front, which stretches through a loop on a blouse. Instead of a ribbon, there may be a bow, tie, neckerchief. The most common colors for the form:
- the black;
- light green;
- Navy blue;
- grey;
- white.
Part of the form may include socks, shoes, other accessories. Socks are usually dark blue, white, black, and shoes are black or brown. Some of the schools become famous for their uniforms, which are often associated with carefree youth. In the culture of otaku sailor suit a large role. Characters wearing school uniforms are present in a variety of anime and manga.
Higher education
According to 2005 data, about 3 million students were enrolled in 726 Japanese universities. To obtain a bachelor's degree, as in the European, a four-year education is supposed in the Japanese education system. A six-year program is envisaged 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 - private establishments. 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 people 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 the cost of training.
University ranking
According to the 2015 ranking of such a consulting company as Quacquarelli Symonds, among the thirty most prestigious Asian universities were Japan's best universities, such as:
- University of Tokyo - at 12th place;
- Osaki - on the 13th;
- Kyoto - on the 14th;
- Tokyo Institute of Technology - at 15th;
- Tohoku University - on the 20th;
- Nagoya - on the 21st;
- Hokkaido - on the 25th;
- Kyushu University - on the 28th.
Students studying at prestigious private universities such as Nihon, Tokai, Waseda, Keio - this is the future elite. They, regardless of the grades on the results of exams and specialties, after receiving a diploma are guaranteed successful employment. They typically become senior managers or government officials. To get to such universities without special training and recommendations is unrealistic.
The competition in the top educational institutions mentioned above is incredibly high, but the fee in them is much lower than in prestigious private ones. Those universities that are established in the prefectures charge a small tuition fee, and the competition in them is relatively small. In small private universities, you need to pay a lot of money for tuition, but the diplomas issued in them are not prestigious, and they do not give guarantees of 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:
- A full course of university education lasting from four to six years. Its cost ranges from 6 to 9 thousand US dollars. The approach to passing the entrance exams is very strict, plus knowledge of the Japanese language is required.
- A two-year short-term university education course. It costs much less and requires knowledge of the English language.
To obtain postgraduate education, you need to apostil your existing diploma before introducing it in Japan. Since this country is a party to the Hague Convention, apostille can be used, not legalization.
Regardless of the country, all students are given the same opportunity to receive higher education. Naturally, in this case, you must successfully pass exams and pay tuition fees.