TO: U.N.

GLOBAL EDUCATION INITIATIVE COMMITTEE

FROM: SABEL DISKIN
RE: THE STATE OF EDUCATION IN JAPAN

THIS REPORT SHALL UPDATE THE COMMITTEE ON THE

PROGRESS OF EDUCATION IN JAPAN BASED ON THE THREE
INITIATIVE PRIORITIES OF PUTTING EVERY CHILD IN SCHOOL,
IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LEARNING, AND FOSTERING
GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP. JAPAN HAS A WORLD-RENOWNED AND
UNIQUE SYSTEM OF EDUCATION THAT SEEKS TO PREPARE
CHILDREN FOR THEIR FUTURE LIVES AND CAREERS.

PUTTING EVERY CHILD IN SCHOOL. According to data compiled by

the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development),
Japan has exceptionally high attendance rates. The data shows that 100%
of children aged 5 to 14 were enrolled in compulsory primary and
secondary school for the year 2012 (OECD, 2014). The data also shows
high rates of attendance for non-compulsory preschool: 78% of 3-year-
olds and 94% of 4-year-olds (OECD, 2014).

IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LEARNING. Japan already has a

world-famous curriculum. Students are subject to rigorous study
throughout their entire schooling careers. If that were not enough, many
parents spend millions of yen on after-school programs and tutors for their
children. According to the National Center on Education and the
Economy, teachers are the highest-paid civil servants in Japan (NCEE,
2017). Quality comes with higher pay, as limited positions become more
competitive. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and
Technology, or MEXT, sets the educational agenda for Japan and decides
its laws and curriculum. In 2004, it proposed a series of reforms that have
been implemented country-wide. These reforms included the
establishment of local boards of education, development of national
assessments, and requirement of educators to renew their certifications
every ten years (NCEE, 2017).

FOSTERING GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP. Since Japan possesses a top

position on the worlds largest economies list, it is imperative that
education fosters a variety of careers for students. Each student is taught
the same curriculum across the entire country, however, there is an
emphasis on creativity and critical thinking. There are several avenues
students may take after secondary school: they may attend a technology
school, a vocational school, a university, or a specialized tertiary school
focused on medical, veterinary, dental, and the like (NCEE, 2017).
Students may also choose not to attend higher secondary school or tertiary
school. To be a part of the global community, however, means to be well-
rounded and prepared to solve problems. The current curriculums focus
on social studies, mathematics, science, and foreign languages will
challenge students to develop thinking capacity, decisiveness, and
expressiveness, all qualities needed for a citizen of the world (NCEE,
2017).

SOURCES:
Japan Overview. (2017). NCEE. Retrieved April 13, 2017, from
http://ncee.org/what-we-do/center-on-international-education-
benchmarking/top-performing-countries/japan-overview/
Miyamoto, K., & Ikesako, H. (2014). Education at a Glance 2014. OECD.
Retrieved April 12, 2017, from http://www.oecd.org/edu/Japan-
EAG2014-Country-Note.pdf