Education in Japan
1. Education.
In Japan, 9 years of education is compulsory; 6 years in elementary school and 3 years in junior high. Attendance rate of kindergarten is 57%. The rest of kids are taken care by mothers at home.
98% junior high school students graduate and advance to high school.
Approximately 60% of high school student advance to college and university, which is 42nd ratio in the world.
School year in Japan begins in April and classes are held from Monday to Friday. (or Saturday, depending on schools.)
The school year consists of two or three terms, which are separated by short holidays in spring and winter (2 weeks each), and summer break (6 weeks).
2. "Juku" and "Yobiko".
"Juku" means private school where many students attend in addition to their basic education. It is said that 25% of elementary school students goes to "Juku" to prepare for entrance examination of junior high schools.
Some decides to join in such private schools on their own, the rest, many are told to join by their parents. Thinking academic background is the only factor to be successful in job-hunting. I should mention that it DOES help a lot, but there may be something-else they should've learn while they can...
"Yobiko" means preparatory school where students who failed university entrance exams go and prepare for the following year's exams.
3. University and junior college.
There are 783 universities and 406 junior colleges in Japan. As of 2012, 70% of universities are privately owned.
Average cost of national or local government university is ¥540,000 ($4,800) and private university is ¥900,000 ($8,000).
4. English education.
It is compulsory subject from junior high school.
As most of students advance to senior high school, they study English for 6 years. Lack of communicative training has been pointed out as the cause of Japanese "can't" speak English. As the Ministry of Education tries to assign native English teachers in public junior high schools, the things are getting better. Now, English is a foreign language activity and becoming compulsory for 5th and 6th grades in elementary schools since 2011.
Comments