Higher education in Japan is in many ways similar to the educational systems of other developed Western countries. But the unique culture of this country could not but leave an imprint on this area.
general characteristics
The education system in Japan is considered to be one of the oldest in the world. It dates back to the 6th-7th centuries. It was then that the education system in developed Asian countries came from the mainland to the island.
It is based on the Chinese education system, which to this day remains only slightly changed.
The modern education system in Japan is as follows:
- preschool education (nursery, kindergarten, special educational institutions with a correctional program for disabled children);
- school education, which consists of three stages: primary (sho: gakko), secondary (chu: gakko) and senior (iko: then: gakko) schools;
- higher and special education (technical schools, colleges, universities).
And here is a diagram on which you can study in more detail the features of the education system in Japan:
The education system in Japan: interesting facts
The Japanese school has many interesting features that distinguish it from the domestic one.
For example, class numbering here is not like ours (end-to-end). Class numbers are assigned according to internal rules. For example, 4th grade elementary school, 2nd grade high school, etc.
There is no free high school in Japan, let alone a university. However, there are a meager number of state-owned institutions in which you can study at a slightly lower cost.
Free education in Japan can only be obtained in nurseries and kindergartens.
If our academic year is divided into 4 quarters, then in the land of the rising sun this year lasts 3 terms: the first one lasts from April 6 to July 20, then there are summer holidays, the second term lasts from September 1 to December 26, and the third - from 7 January to 25 March.
The week without classes, which separates the third and first trimesters, is a kind of transition from one class to another.
The Japanese school year begins in April, as this is the beginning of spring when cherry blossoms are in full bloom.
The school week lasts 6 days (in rare schools - 5). At the same time, twice a month, students must be provided with days off on Saturdays.
The school curriculum here is not determined by the state, but depends on the specific educational institution. But all of them have the same basis - developed by the state.
School education program
At the age of six, the child is sent to primary school. Before starting his studies, he must master the basics of arithmetic and master the technique of reading katakana and hirogana.
After entering primary school, children learn math, Japanese, and science. Imagine - chemistry and physics from elementary school! It also teaches ethics, history, etiquette, music, housekeeping, visual arts, and physical education. As a final test of knowledge, you will have to pass an exam on knowledge of 1006 state kanji symbols (and there are 1945 of them !!!).
After passing the exam, the child enters secondary school, where he continues to study all the same sciences as in the previous stage. This also adds the study of English and some subjects to choose from (depending on the chosen school). Among all subjects in high school, the most difficult are mathematics, Japanese and English.
High school students have the same curriculum. The only difference is that they can devote a little more time to highly specialized subjects.
Japanese special education
Japanese special education was structured according to Western models. But it is extremely difficult to get a professional education here, since narrow specialists are highly valued.
A completely different story is "juku" - schools of mastery, or, to put it simply, tutoring schools. Already from the 7th grade, these schools are actively advertised among students who choose the schools that suit them and enroll. Classes should be attended 2-3 times a week in the evenings. The teacher carefully examines the material of the chosen discipline, and also works out additional material in detail so that students successfully pass the final exams at school.
Despite the fact that all juku are paid, almost all students attend such classes. Thanks to this juku, they bring in more than a trillion yen - an amount equal to the state's military budget.
Exams
Like us, exams for Japanese schoolchildren are the most terrible and difficult test. Each exam lasts several hours. And the complexity can be judged by the fact that students have to additionally prepare for them for a very long time.
But in elementary school there are no exams. But in middle and high school they have to be taken 5 times a year: at the end of each trimester and in the middle of the first 2 trimesters.
Median exams are taken in the following disciplines:
- maths,
- japanese,
- english language,
- social studies,
- natural Sciences.
After each trimester, you will have to pass a complex comprehensive exam to test absolutely all disciplines.
Depending on the result obtained, it will be clear whether the student has moved to high school or not. The number of points earned is important in order to qualify for a more prestigious school. With poor results, the student will face a bad school, after which it will be impossible to enter the university and generally have any prospects in a future career.
Features of higher education in Japan
General higher education in Japan is in a strict hierarchy. It is very difficult to study there, as there is discrimination everywhere. The only universities where students do not experience discrimination are full-cycle universities (4 years). However, there is also a hierarchy there:
- Prestigious private universities (Waseda, Nihon Keio, Tokai). Those who manage to successfully graduate from these universities will become the elite, top managers, representatives in government. It is impossible to get into these universities without proper training and recommendations. But a diploma from there will become a pass to any job, regardless of what specialization and what marks you studied.
- Universities from the top in the ranking by country (University of Tokyo and Yokohama). The cost of training is much lower here. But it will be extremely difficult to enter there because of the huge competition.
- The rest of the universities. They are organized by the prefectures. Tuition fees will be low with a relatively small competition for a place.
- Small private universities. With a high tuition fee, students do not receive any guarantees for further employment. And the diploma is not considered prestigious.
In Japan, there is no compulsory higher education, because not everyone can afford to pay for their studies. But in most universities, the cost of education will not be affordable for 90% of the Japanese population.
We can say that all higher education is paid. According to statistics, only 100 out of 3,000,000 students can receive free education. Moreover, the price will be completely different depending on the chosen university.
Education for foreigners
Huge sums and incredibly difficult exams have raised Japan's educational level above most other countries. That is why it is considered very prestigious to get an education here. Foreigners are trying in every way to do it. And there are 2 such methods:
- Getting a standard higher education... Duration of training is 4-6 years. The average cost of education is 6-9 thousand US dollars. To study here, a foreigner will have to work hard not only on learning Japanese, but also on entrance exams.
- Accelerated course of education at the university... Duration of training is 2 years. The cost is much lower, and everything else is much simpler. It is enough to know at least English.
And here you can learn more about the Japanese education system:
If a foreigner wants to enter a Japanese university after graduating from university in his home country, he will have to apostille his own diploma. Since Japan is a party to the Hague Convention, a foreigner will not have to bother with legalization (which is much more difficult), but only use an apostille.
All incoming foreigners are provided with the same equal opportunities, regardless of their country of residence. And if you don't have any problems with admission to the university and payment, you will be glad to see you at the chosen university in Japan.
Japanese universities began to actively attract young people from neighboring Asian countries, especially from China, Taiwan, and Korea. But this does not prevent people from developed Western countries who want to join the great Japanese culture and learn the national system of government from trying their luck.
According to statistics, there are about 1,000 American students studying in Japan.
Researchers and teachers from other countries are actively involved in working with foreign students and for the common good of Japan. And if earlier a foreigner could not hold managerial positions, then recently a law was passed, according to which a foreign specialist can hold a full-time position in Japanese universities.
And if a foreign student is not fluent in Japanese, he can take a specially organized one-year Japanese course at the International Student Institute in Osaka. And as part of the exchange, about 1000 English teachers come to Japan every year.
International students and Japanese citizens are admitted to local universities on the same basis. The applicant must have a certificate of completion of 12 years of study in their home country. For foreigners, this is often 11 years of their school and 1 course in college / institute / preparatory courses, as well as in a Japanese language school at the International Students Institute or Kansai International Students Institute.
You can study here even if you managed to pass the exams under the International Baccalaureate, Abitur, etc.
The general education exam for foreign students is compulsory here. For example, humanities students will be tested for knowledge of mathematics, world history, English. The science student will answer questions in physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, and English.
But the most important thing is passing the Japanese language test. This test is conducted by the Association for International Education itself. You can take it to 31 countries of the world. The test consists of the following blocks:
- Testing knowledge of hieroglyphs and vocabulary.
- Auditory perception.
- Reading and testing knowledge in the field of grammar.
There are 4 difficulty levels for this exam. For the first level, you need to undergo training for 900 hours and know 2000 hieroglyphs. For the second - 600 hours and 1000 hieroglyphs. For the third - 300 hours and 300 hieroglyphs. The fourth is 150 hours and 100 hieroglyphs.
If you manage to pass the first level exam, you can enter any university in the country (both for a bachelor's degree and for a master's degree). Some universities also accept those who have passed the second level exam. The third level allows you to get a job in a Japanese company.
The cost of training for foreigners will be completely different depending on the chosen university. But it should be borne in mind that the most expensive are the specialties related to economics, medicine, philology, pedagogy (up to 900 thousand yen at the rate of 1 US dollar \u003d 109 yen at the rate of 06/05/2018).
As for living expenses, a foreign student must be ready to pay about 9-12 thousand yen per year, depending on the location of the university.
About 80% of foreign students study in Japan at their own expense. The rest receive their education through various scholarships.
By the way, we already have material on how to get a grant and a scholarship to study abroad. Look, for sure you will find a lot of interesting things for yourself.
Training
After graduating from universities, graduates continue to study in corporations that will hire them. In Japan, there is a so-called "life-long employment system" - a guarantee of employment of one person in one company for 55-60 years. At the same time, the employer considers the candidacy very carefully. He pays attention to everything: the rating of the graduating university, test results, the results of the degree of general training and culture, the degree of assimilation of humanitarian and technical knowledge. If all this suits, the applicant is invited to pass an interview. In a personal meeting, the student's personal qualities will be assessed: willingness to compromise, sociability, commitment, ambition, ability to integrate into the system of existing relationships, etc.
Hiring is carried out only once a year - in April! The lucky one will have to undergo a mandatory short training course of up to 4 weeks, during which he will be introduced to the company, production, structure, development history, traditions, concept.
At the end of the introductory course, studies begin again. It can last from one month to one year. As a rule, training mainly consists of practical exercises, which are conducted by different departments of the company. There will also be a course of lectures and seminars on the organization of production, sales, labor, the specifics of the activities of future managers. But usually there are much more theoretical lessons.
As soon as the employee has minimally mastered one specialty, he is transferred to another place, where the learning process begins anew. Interestingly, in Japan, the best way to improve the qualifications of workers is such a periodic system of jobs during the work of an employee. Thanks to this, the company can develop a general manager who will perfectly know all the features of the work of many divisions of the organization.
But, of course, to be a manager, you will have to get additional academic education. A candidate for a managerial position must complete courses in production management, service, product sales, finance, human resources management, and international trade.
It all seems very complicated. But at the same time, do not forget that with such an education you will have much more prospects in professional activity. And if the preparation for admission to Japanese universities clearly prevents you from studying normally at a domestic university or school, do not despair. A reliable companion in the form of a student assistance service will help solve any problems in the form of tails on tests, coursework, etc.
The foundations of the Japanese school curriculum are defined by standards approved by the Ministry of Education. Municipal authorities are responsible for funding, program implementation, staffing of those schools that are located on their territory.
School in Japan is represented by three levels. This is elementary, middle, high school. Elementary and high school are compulsory, high school is optional, with over 90% of Japanese youth trying to continue their studies in high school. Primary and high school education is free, high school fees are paid.
Little Japanese go to primary school from the age of six and continue their studies here until the 7th grade. Education in secondary school lasts from grades 7 to 9. Education in high school is received for 3 years, until the end of grade 12.
A table showing the education system in Japan
Features of Japanese schools
The uniqueness of Japanese schools is that the composition of the class changes here every year, which allows students to develop communication skills, makes it possible to establish friendly relations with a large number of peers. Teachers in Japanese schools also change every year. The number of classes in Japanese schools is large, ranging from 30 to 40 students.
The school year in Japanese schools begins on April 1, it consists of three terms, which are separated from each other by vacations. In spring and winter, schoolchildren have ten days of rest; the summer vacation period is 40 days. The school week lasts from Monday to Friday, in some schools they study on Saturday, while schoolchildren have a rest every second Saturday.
Lessons in Japanese schools last for 50 minutes, for toddlers, a lesson is 45 minutes, then there is a short break. The daily study process for a Japanese student ends at 3 pm. In the elementary grades, Japanese language, social studies, natural science, mathematics, music, fine arts, physical education, housekeeping are taught. Primary school students are not given homework, they do not take exams.
Education in middle and high school
Two years ago, English was introduced for compulsory education, it has been taught since high school, only native speakers of the language for whom it is native are allowed to teach English. A secondary school in Japan teaches several other special subjects, their composition depends on the school itself.
Traditionally, the most difficult subjects in the Japanese school are the study of languages \u200b\u200b- native and English. Students begin examining in high school. They take exams at the end of the trimester in all subjects, in the middle of the first and second trimesters, exams in mathematics, science, social studies, Japanese, and English are held.
Japanese schoolchildren can dine for an hour. There are no canteens in schools, a hot lunch for children is prepared in a special sterile room, and here it is placed in individual boxes that are brought to classrooms on carts.
School uniform
Each school chooses its own dress code, it must be worn. The uniform also includes a bright baseball cap, which is a kind of identification mark. Each school has a uniform sports uniform.
It is the duty of a Japanese student to clean the school - there are no technical workers in schools, the entire school territory is divided into sections, for the cleanliness of which a certain class is responsible. At the end of the lessons, the students clean their class and the school territory assigned to them.
Teaching foreign students, schools for Russians
All foreign students residing in Japan have the right to school education, it can be obtained in public schools. To do this, parents should contact the municipality, where they will be given information about which school their child can attend. To study at school, it will be enough for parents to purchase notebooks for written calculations and other educational supplies for their child.
Japanese education system
The modern education system in Japan has developed
130 years ago, during the years of rapid modernization of the country, begun in 1868 by the Meiji Restoration. It cannot be said that the school system that existed before that time did not meet the needs of the state for competent employees. Since the 15th century, children of aristocrats and samurai received secular education at Buddhist temples. From the 16th century, with the development of commerce, the offspring of merchant families were drawn to education. Their monks taught them reading, writing and arithmetic. True, until the Meiji Restoration, education in the country remained class-based. There were separate schools for the children of aristocrats, soldiers, merchants, and peasants. Most often, these schools were family businesses: the husband taught the boys, the wife taught the girls. The main emphasis was on teaching literacy, although there were some nuances. Children of noble people were taught court etiquette, calligraphy and versification, and the offspring of commoners were taught skills more necessary in everyday life. The boys spent a lot of time exercising, and the girls were taught the basics of home economics - sewing, the art of making bouquets. But even then, in terms of the degree of literacy of the population, Japan was hardly inferior to other countries of the world.
Education in Japan is a cult supported by family, society and government. From a young age, the Japanese are constantly and intensively studying. First - to enter a prestigious school, then - to go through a competition to the best university, then - to get a job in a respected and prosperous corporation. The principle of "lifetime employment" adopted in Japan gives a person the right to only one attempt to take a worthy place in society. A good education is considered to be a guarantee that she will be successful.
Japanese mothers are simply obsessed with ensuring that their children receive the best education. In conditions when the majority of Japanese are at the same level of well-being (72% of the country's inhabitants consider themselves to be in the middle class and have approximately the same income), the education of children is the only thing in which they can compete.
Such a serious attention to education gave rise to "dzyuku" - special evening schools for training in prestigious educational institutions. The number of such schools, the analogs of which appeared in Japanese monasteries in the 18th century, exceeds 100 thousand. Small "juku" sometimes consist of 5-6 students who gather at the teacher's home, in large ones there are up to 5 thousand students. Classes are held from 4:50 pm to 8:50 pm, Monday through Friday, and weekly tests are usually scheduled on Sunday morning. The competition for the most prestigious educational institutions is so great that newspapers use the expression "exam hell". To prepare for the juku entrance exams, so-called "courage" ceremonies are held, during which students with headbands (the school motto is written on them) shout with all their might: "I will do!"
Preschool institutions
The first day nurseries in the country were established in 1894 in Tokyo, but the idea of \u200b\u200bearly separation from mother did not become popular. The first kindergarten of the Frebel type was founded in 1876 in Tokyo by the German teacher Clara Ziedermann. Its main direction - the child's initiative - is still relevant. Since 1882, the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture began to open kindergartens for the poor.
Documents regulating the activities of preschool educational institutions
Preschool education standards and official rules for kindergartens were developed in 1900, and the Kindergarten Act came into force in 1926. It recommended the creation of nursery-based kindergartens. By the 1947 law, kindergartens and nurseries became part of the primary school system. The crèches were turned into day-care centers under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health and Human Services, and during the 1960s. their programs have ceased to differ from those of kindergartens.
Admission of children to preschool institutions
In Japan, kindergarten is not a compulsory educational stage. Children come here at the request of their parents, usually from the age of four. Sometimes, as an exception, when the parents are very busy, the child can be taken to kindergarten from the age of 3. There is also a nursery in Japan for one-year-old babies, but it is not recommended to tear them away from the family so early. To place a child in such an institution, parents must prepare a special statement and justify the impossibility of raising a child at home for up to 3 years.
Preschool network
In Japan, a system of private and municipal kindergartens, as well as daycare groups, has been established, which differ from ordinary kindergartens in more modest conditions for children. But all kindergartens are paid. Parents spend about one-sixth of the average monthly salary on them. All kindergartens are daycare, as a rule, they work from 8.00 to 18.00. There are a small number of after-school gardens.
Among private preschool institutions, a special place is occupied by the so-called elite gardens, which are under the tutelage of prestigious universities. If a child enters such a kindergarten, his future can be considered secured: upon reaching the appropriate age, he goes to a university school, and then goes to university without exams. In Japan, there is rather intense competition in the field of education: a university degree is a guarantee of obtaining a prestigious, well-paid job in a ministry or in some well-known company. And this, in turn, is a guarantee of career growth and material well-being. Therefore, getting to a kindergarten at a prestigious university is very difficult. Parents pay a lot of money for the child's admission, and the baby himself, in order to be accepted, must undergo a rather difficult test. The relationship between the parents of elite kindergarten students, usually owned by successful, prosperous corporations, is quite tense and jealous. However, there are not so many such preschool institutions. Just like there are not many kindergartens of the pro-Western direction, in which the principles of free upbringing dominate and there is no that tough and rather difficult system of classes for young children typical of elite kindergartens.
The system of preschool education institutions in Japan cannot be considered sufficiently developed. Almost half of the babies remain outside this system. Therefore, working parents have to wait a long time for the opportunity to place their child in kindergarten.
They are trying to defuse the tension with childcare institutions with the help of various public initiatives. Assistance centers for working parents, whose kids do not attend kindergartens, are being opened. This assistance is provided by volunteers who want to earn extra money by looking after children. They are, as a rule, non-working housewives with their own children. They gladly accept other people's children in their homes or apartments. The duration of the service is determined by the stakeholders themselves.
In kindergarten, a lot of attention is paid to education. An agreement is concluded with parents, there is a program, the content of which includes taking care of the health of children, the development of their speech and self-expression. There are about 20 children per adult.
In day care centers, the emphasis is on parenting. Infants and preschoolers are raised together. Children are sent to them by the municipal authorities. The fee depends on the family's income. The content of the work includes:
- baby care;
- ensuring his emotional stability;
- health care;
- regulation of social contacts;
- familiarization with the surrounding world;
- development of speech and self-expression.
In such centers, there are on average 10 children per adult.
In addition to these types of preschool institutions in Japan, there are additional schools for gymnastics, swimming, music, dance, art, as well as private kindergartens at schools preparing for admission to universities.
Opening hours of preschool institutions
Children over 3 years old stay in kindergarten for about 4 hours a day. Day care centers operate on an eight-hour schedule. But now there are preschool institutions where even children of the first year of life are from 9.00-10.00 to 21.00-22.00.
In kindergartens, a menu for children is carefully thought out. Educators advise parents on how to prepare an obento, a lunch box that every mother should prepare for her child in the morning. It is recommended to use 24 types of products. The menu must include dairy products, vegetables, fruits. The vitamin and mineral composition of the dishes and their calorie content are calculated (it should not exceed 600-700 calories per meal).
The composition of groups in kindergarten is not constant. Teaching children to interact, Japanese educators form them into small groups (han), which is the most important distinguishing feature of the organization of preschool education. These groups have their own tables and names. Children are encouraged to make decisions based on the wishes of all members of the group. In addition, such groups serve as a kind of unit for joint activities. Group of 6-8 people includes representatives of both sexes and is formed not according to their abilities, but in accordance with what can direct their activities in an effective direction. Groups are formed anew every year. The change in the child composition is associated with an attempt to provide babies with the widest possible opportunities for socialization. If a child does not have a relationship in this particular group, it is possible that he will find friends among other children. Children are taught many skills, including how to look at the other person, how to express themselves and take into account the opinions of their peers.
Educators are also changed. This is done so that children do not get used to them too much. Attachments, according to the Japanese (following the Americans), give rise to dependence of children on their mentors, and the latter are burdened with too serious responsibility for the fate of children. If the teacher for some reason dislikes the child, this situation will not be very difficult either. Perhaps he will develop friendly relations with another teacher and he will not think that all adults do not like him.
In Japan, there is a trend towards converting a preschool into a family center. We can only judge this by indirect indications, for example, according to the recommendations of the Ministry of Health and Human Services with the aim of restructuring the activities of day care facilities so that they become functioning as centers that play an important role in the overall structure of the microdistrict, capable of meeting the diverse needs of parents with young children. ...
But traditionally, preschool education begins in the family. Home and family are perceived as places of psychological comfort, and the mother is the personification of it. The most severe punishment for children is excommunication, even for a short period. That is why a child is punished for offense not by a ban on going out with friends, but by excommunication. In the relationship between parents and children, there is no demanding or judgmental treatment, threats, slapping, slapping on the head, especially in public places.
For Japanese women, motherhood is still the main thing. After the birth of children, the milestones of a Japanese woman are most often determined by the phases of life of her children (preschool period, school years, admission to university, etc.). Many Japanese women believe that raising children is all they need to do to make their life an ikigai, ie. made sense.
The modern Japanese family retains a number of specific features, the main of which is patriarchy. Japan is characterized by the traditional idea of \u200b\u200bthe division of life roles by gender: a man works outside the home, a woman runs a household and brings up children. The concept of family emphasizes the continuity of the family line, the fading of which is perceived as a terrible disaster. Hence follows a very careful, loving attitude towards their own and other people's children, their health and personal development.
The desire of children for parental care is viewed positively in Japan. According to the majority of citizens, it protects the child from bad influence, the use of narcotic and psychotropic drugs. The main meaning of primary socialization in Japan can be summed up in a few words: the absence of any restrictions for babies. The educational doctrine, as G. Vostokov noted, is applied to children “with such gentleness and love that it does not act in a depressing way on the soul of children. No grumbling, no severity, almost no corporal punishment. The pressure on children is in such a mild form that it seems that the children are raising themselves, and that Japan is a children's paradise, in which there are not even forbidden fruits. This attitude towards children in Japan has not changed: parents behave with children today the same way as before. "
Japanese women tend to regulate the child's behavior by influencing his feelings, in every possible way avoid confrontation with his will and desire, and more often express their dissatisfaction indirectly. They try to expand emotional contact with the child, seeing in this the main means of control, it is important for them to demonstrate the correct behavior in society by their own example, and not verbal communication with children. Japanese women avoid asserting their power over children, as this leads to the alienation of the child from the mother. Women emphasize the problems of emotional maturity, compliance, harmonious relationships with other people and consider emotional contact with the child as the main means of control. The symbolic threat of losing parental love is a more influencing factor for a child than words of condemnation. Thus, by observing their parents, children learn to interact with other people.
However, the practice of introducing children to group values \u200b\u200bis still carried out in kindergartens and schools. It is for this that the child is sent to a preschool institution. Kindergarten and nursery are places where children spend most of their time and where, accordingly, influence on the formation of their character.
As noted by the magazine "Japan Today", in our days there is an increased attention of the Japanese to the younger generation, and this is caused by the demographic crisis. The rapidly aging Japanese society is directly related to declining birth rates. Taking these circumstances into account, a social system of state support for parents in the upbringing of their children in the preschool period is being formed in Japan. At the birth of a child, every working mother is entitled to one year of paid parental leave. For each child, the state pays parents a parenting allowance. Until 2000, it was paid up to 4 years, now - up to 6, i.e. actually before entering primary school.
In Japan, a growing number of companies are seeking to create a “family friendly environment”. For example, after returning to work, women not only recover in their previous jobs, but also receive benefits in the form of a shorter working day, the opportunity to switch to a “rolling” work schedule.
Parents' clubs are also being created, where mothers relax with their children in their free time. While parents communicate with each other, student volunteers are engaged with their children, for whom this activity is a form of social activity. Since 2002, these parent clubs began to receive financial support from the state.
Schools
Children between the ages of 6 and 15 are required to attend six-year primary school followed by three-year junior high school. Children from disadvantaged families receive grants for school lunches, medical care and excursions. There is only one school of a given level of education in each visiting area, so the child is doomed to go only to it. However, parents have the right to send their children to private paid institutions of all levels of education, but they have rather strict selection rules.
In elementary school, they study Japanese, social studies, arithmetic, science, music, drawing and crafts, home art, ethics, and physical education. In private schools, ethics can be partially or completely replaced by the study of religion. There is also such a subject as "special activities", which includes club work, meetings, sporting events, excursions, ceremonies, etc. The students themselves take turns cleaning classes and other premises in the school, and at the end of the school semester everyone goes out for a general cleaning.
After graduating from primary school, the child is obliged to continue his education in the lower secondary school. Along with the compulsory subjects (mother tongue, mathematics, social studies, ethics, science, music, art, special activities, physical education, technical skill and home economics), students can choose a number of subjects - a foreign language, agriculture or an advanced course in mathematics.
The next step on the way to college is high school. These educational institutions are divided into daytime (the term of study is three years), as well as evening and part-time (they study here for a year longer). Although graduates of evening and correspondence schools receive equivalent graduation documents, 95% of students choose to study in full-time schools. According to the profile of education, general, academic, technical, natural science, commercial, arts, etc. senior secondary schools can be distinguished. About 70% of students choose the general curriculum.
Admission to upper secondary schools is based on a junior high school graduation document (Chugakko) and a competition based on the results of the entrance examinations. In high school, in addition to compulsory general education subjects (Japanese, mathematics, science, social studies, etc.), students can be offered elective subjects, including English and other foreign languages, as well as technical and special subjects. In grade 12, students must choose one of the learning profiles for themselves.
According to the order of the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, the university's knowledge assessment system is used in the final secondary school. This means that each student must complete at least 80 credit points in order to obtain a certificate of completion of the full 12-year high school (Kotogakko). For example, based on the results of studying each of the two courses of the Japanese language and modern Japanese literature, 4 credits are given, for the lexicology of the Japanese language and lectures on the classical language - 2 credits.
The school year in Japan starts on April 1st (no joke) and ends on March 31st of the following year. It is usually divided into terms of April-July, September-December and January-March. Schoolchildren have vacations in summer, winter (before and after the New Year) and spring (after exams). Rural schools tend to have farm seasonal vacations by shortening summer vacations.
Colleges
Japanese colleges in status can be equated with our secondary specialized educational institutions. They are divided into junior, technology and special education colleges. There are about 600 junior colleges offering two-year training programs in the humanities, natural sciences, medical sciences and engineering. Their graduates have the right to continue their education at the university from the second or third year of study. Admission to junior colleges is based on a complete high school. Applicants take entrance exams and, less and less often, the "First Stage Achievement Test".
Junior colleges are 90% private and very popular with young people. The number of those wishing to enter them annually exceeds the number of places by three times. About 60% of colleges are for women only. They study subjects such as home finance, literature, languages, education, health preservation.
You can enter technology colleges after graduating from junior high or high school. In the first case, the term of study is 5 years, in the second - two years. In colleges of this type, study electronics, construction, mechanical engineering and other disciplines.
Specialized colleges offer one-year professional courses for accountants, typists, designers, programmers, auto mechanics, tailors, cooks, etc. The number of such educational institutions, most of which are private, reaches 3,500. True, their graduates are not allowed to continue their studies at a university, junior or technical college.
Universities
There are about 600 universities in Japan, including 425 private ones. The total number of students exceeds 2.5 million. The most prestigious public universities are Tokyo (founded in 1877, has 11 faculties), Kyoto University (1897, 10 faculties) and Osaka University (1931, 10 faculties). They are followed in the ranking by the universities of Hokkaido and Tohoku. The most famous private universities are Chuo, Nihon, Waseda, Meiji, Tokai and Kansai University in Osaka. In addition to them, there are a significant number of "dwarf" higher educational institutions, numbering 200-300 students at 1-2 faculties.
You can enter public universities only after completing high school. Reception is carried out in two stages. At the first stage, applicants centrally pass the "General Test of First Stage Achievement", which is conducted by the National Center for University Admissions. Those who successfully passed the test are admitted to the entrance exams, which are already held directly at the universities. Those who have received the highest marks in tests are allowed to take exams at the most prestigious universities in the country.
It should be emphasized that the private universities conduct the entrance exams on their own. The best private universities have elementary, junior and upper secondary schools and even kindergartens in their structure. And if an applicant has successfully passed all the way from kindergarten to high school in the system of a given university, he is enrolled in it without exams.
A characteristic feature of the organization of the educational process in Japanese universities is a clear division into general scientific and special disciplines. For the first two years, all students receive general education, studying general scientific disciplines - history, philosophy, literature, social studies, foreign languages, as well as listening to special courses in their future specialty. During the first two-year period, students get the opportunity to delve deeper into the essence of the chosen specialty, and teachers - to make sure that the student is chosen correctly, to determine his scientific potential. Theoretically, at the end of the general scientific cycle, a student can change specialization and even faculty. In reality, however, such cases are extremely rare and occur only within one faculty, and the initiator is the administration, not the student. In the last two years, students have been studying their chosen specialty.
The terms of study at all universities are standardized. The basic course of higher education is 4 years in all major areas of study and specialties. Physicians, dentists and veterinarians study for two years longer. Upon completion of the basic course, a bachelor's degree is awarded - Gakushi. Formally, a student has the right to be enrolled in the university for 8 years, that is, the expulsion of careless students is practically excluded.
Graduates of universities who have shown aptitude for research work can continue their studies for a master's degree (Shushi). It lasts two years. A PhD (Hakushi) degree requires three years of study for those with a master's degree and at least 5 years for bachelors.
In addition to undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students, Japanese universities have volunteers, transfer students, research students, and collegiate researchers. Volunteers are enrolled in a basic course or postgraduate course to study one or a number of courses. Transfer students from Japanese or foreign universities are admitted to attend one or more lectures or to receive scientific guidance in postgraduate or doctoral studies (taking into account previously received credits). Research students (Kenkyu-sei) enroll in graduate school for a year or more to study a scientific topic under the guidance of a professor at the university, but they are not awarded academic degrees. Finally, peer researchers are professors, teachers, researchers and other professionals who have expressed a desire to conduct research under the guidance of a professor at a given university.
Professional development system
Graduates of higher education institutions continue their studies in the corporations that recruited them. The system of "life-long employment" provides that a person works in one company for up to 55-60 years. When selecting applicants, the rating of the university that graduated them is taken into account, as well as the results shown on the test, which includes questions to determine the degree of general training and culture, the assimilation of humanitarian and technical knowledge. The best candidates are interviewed, during which their personal qualities are assessed (sociability, willingness to compromise, ambition, commitment, ability to enter the system of already built relationships, etc.).
Hiring is done once a year, in April. Immediately after that, new employees undergo a mandatory short training course, lasting 1-4 weeks. Within its framework, they get acquainted with the company, its production profile, organizational structure, development history, traditions, concept.
After the introductory course, a period of apprenticeship begins for them, which varies in duration from two months to a year. The training process consists mainly of workshops held in various divisions of the company, courses of lectures and seminars on the system of organizing production, labor, sales, on the specifics of the work of future managers. The ratio of practical and theoretical lessons almost always develops in favor of the former (from 6: 4 to 9: 1).
In Japanese firms, a constant rotation of personnel has been adopted. After the employee is sufficiently accustomed to one specialty, he is transferred to another workplace, where the process of practical training begins again. Periodic change of jobs during the working life of an employee (usually 3-4 times) is considered the best way to improve the skills of personnel. Thanks to the rotation, "general managers" are formed, who are well aware of the specifics of the activities of many divisions of the company.
In addition, managers undergo additional academic training. They are taught courses in production management, maintenance, product marketing, finance, human resources management and international trade.
Summary.
Based on the above, we can conclude that education in Japan is a cult. And great attention is paid to the educational aspects in the Japanese education system. And, in my opinion, this opinion is very good, since any person in this country can be confident in their future, as well as in the future of their children. Although in Japan, as well as in Russia, there is a shortage of places in kindergartens. Just like in Russia, there is a large teaching load in Japanese kindergartens. But in Japan, a whole team of medical workers works in every educational institution: a doctor, a nurse, a dentist, a pharmacist, a health curator. All of them monitor the health of little Japanese people, which would not hurt our educational institutions, because after high school, only 30 percent of healthy children graduate.
I also liked the system of interconnection of all educational institutions, from kindergarten to university. Thus, a child from an early age goes to his goal and he has all the guarantees that he will definitely study at the University.
Another important aspect of education in Japan is thatfor every Japanese, “kokoro” means the idea of \u200b\u200beducation, which is not limited to knowledge and skills, but contributes to the formation of a person's character, which is important for later life.
A university degree in Japan is a guarantee of obtaining a prestigious and well-paid job, and this, in turn, is a guarantee of career growth and material well-being, which cannot be said about education in Russia.
But what I like most about the system of this country is that Japan is the only developed country in the world where a teacher's salary is higher than the salary of local government officials.
In general, comparing the Japanese and Russian education systems, we can say that they are very similar and they have much in common, but the Japanese system is the most thought out and brought to its logical conclusion.
Bibliography
1. VA Zebzeeva Preschool education abroad: history and modernity. - M .: TC Sphere, 2007
2. Paramonova L.A., Protasova E.Yu. Preschool and primary education abroad. History and modernity. M., 2001.
3. Sorokova M.G. Modern preschool education. USA, Germany, Japan. Actual problems and ways of development. M., 1998.S. 47.
The Japanese nation is known for the fact that everything that is advanced in Japan today was borrowed from other nations and states. Japan as a statehood was formed on the images and teachings borrowed from China and to this day the policy of introducing advanced technologies from around the world into its life continues. But Japan does not just copy something, but selects the best and implements it taking into account its own characteristics.
This scheme did not escape the Japanese education system. Back in the Middle Ages from the 6th to the 9th century, Japan actively borrowed writing, culture, Confucianism and Buddhism from China. Already in the IX century, in the capital of Japan, Kyoto, there were five educational institutions - higher. The centers of education in Japan in the Middle Ages were monasteries of Zen Buddhism.
In the 19th century, Japan switched to Europe as an advanced cultural and educational center, and in particular to France. Japan began to adopt everything that was advanced from the French, organized study trips to France, invited French teachers to their country.
After World War II, when the Japanese were directly confronted with the Americans and their culture on their land, they realized that the cultural and educational center from Europe had moved to America. And accordingly - everything that could be learned, studied and then realized from the American education system (and everything else), the Japanese studied and implemented.
And to this day, the education system in Japan resembles the American one. But not everything was easy and smooth. In the 60s, student riots took place in Japan, in which teachers also took part. The Japanese government was required to eradicate brutality, eliminate uniformity, and provide an alternative.
In the eighties, after a long discussion, a reform of the education system was carried out, which consisted in the following: the development of a policy of continuous education, an increase in financial investments in the educational process, a change in teaching methods, an individual approach to students, information and technical equipment of the educational process and other activities.
The general education system in Japan is as follows:
- - the period of stay in kindergarten is 3 years, children are accepted from 3 years old
- primary school - shjogakko, which is accepted from the age of 6 and the educational process lasts six years
- high school - chyugakko, from 12 years old, study for three years
- high school (high school) - kotogakko, from 15 years old, study for three years
Children study for 12 years. Education in school (with the exception of senior) is free. Compulsory education is nine years, after the end of nine grades, a student can enter technical colleges. After graduating from high school, education can be continued at the university, and then in graduate school.
Tuition in high school, like tuition at the university, is paid. Education in state educational institutions is much cheaper.
The Japanese have many peculiarities: they raise children differently than they do in Europe. Quite possibly, it is this fact that makes Japan such a cool and successful country, which almost everyone dreams of visiting.
We are talking about a unique education system from which we could learn a lot.
Manners first, knowledge later
Japanese schoolchildren do not take exams until the 4th grade (when they turn 10), they only write small independent ones. It is believed that in the first three years of study, academic knowledge is not the most important thing. The emphasis is on education, children are taught respect for other people and animals, generosity, the ability to sympathy, the search for truth, self-control and respect for nature.
The school year begins on April 1
When children graduate in most countries, the Japanese celebrate their September 1st. The beginning of the year coincides with one of the most beautiful phenomena - cherry blossoms. So they tune in to a sublime and serious mood. The academic year consists of three terms: from April 1 to July 20, from September 1 to December 26, and from January 7 to March 25. Thus, the Japanese have 6 weeks of summer vacation and 2 weeks in winter and spring.
There are no cleaning ladies in Japanese schools, the guys clean the premises themselves
Each class takes turns cleaning offices, corridors, and even toilets. So guys from an early age learn to work in a team and help each other. In addition, after schoolchildren have spent so much time and work cleaning, they are unlikely to want to litter. This teaches them to respect their own work, as well as the work of others, and respect the environment.
Schools prepare only standardized meals that children eat in class with other students
In elementary and secondary schools, special lunches are prepared for children, the menus of which are developed not only by chefs, but also by medical workers, so that the food is as healthy and useful as possible. All classmates have lunch with the teacher in the office. In such an informal atmosphere, they communicate more and build friendly relations.
Additional education is very popular
Already in primary grades, children begin to attend private and preparatory schools in order to get into a good secondary, and then high school. Classes in these places take place in the evenings, and it is very common in Japan when at 21:00 public transport is filled with children who rush home after additional lessons. They study even on Sundays and on holidays, given that the average school day lasts from 6 to 8 hours. Unsurprisingly, statistically, there are almost no repeaters in Japan.
In addition to the regular lessons, students are taught the art of Japanese calligraphy and poetry.
The principle of Japanese calligraphy, or shodo, is very simple: a bamboo brush is dipped in ink and hieroglyphs are drawn on rice paper with smooth strokes. In Japan, shodo is valued no less than ordinary painting. And haiku is a national form of poetry that concisely represents nature and man as a whole. Both items reflect one of the principles of oriental aesthetics - the ratio of simple and elegant. Classes teach children to value and respect their culture with its age-old traditions.
All students must wear a uniform
Starting in high school, every student is required to wear a uniform. Many schools have their own uniforms, but traditionally for boys these are military-style clothes, and for girls - sailors. The rule is intended to discipline students, since the clothes themselves create a working mood. Also, the same shape helps to rally classmates.
School attendance rate is 99.99%
It is difficult to imagine one person who has never skipped school in his life, but here is a whole nation. Also, Japanese schoolchildren are almost never late for classes. And 91% of schoolchildren always listen to the teacher. What other country can boast such statistics?
One final exam scores everything
At the end of high school, students write one test, which decides whether they will enter the university or not. A graduate can choose only one institution, and what it will be will determine the size of the future salary and the standard of living in general. At the same time, the competition is very strong: 76% of graduates continue their education after school. That is why such an expression as "examination hell" is popular in Japan.
University years are the best vacation in life
It is not surprising that after many years of continuous preparation for admission and "examination hell" the Japanese want to take a short break. It so happened that he falls on the university years, which are considered the easiest and most carefree in the life of every Japanese. An excellent rest before work, to which the Japanese were taught from childhood to approach not only with responsibility, but also with great love as to their life's work.
