Additional education in Japan. School education program

Basics of the Japanese program school education determined by standards approved by the Ministry of Education. Municipal authorities are responsible for financing, program implementation, and staffing of those school institutions that are located on their territory.

The Japanese educational system was established in 1947 and consists of five levels from kindergarten to university with the following duration of study: 3-6-3-3-4. Where 6-3-3 is the school you are looking for. School in Japan is represented by three levels. This is elementary, middle, high school. Primary and middle school are compulsory levels of education; high school is optional, but over 90% of Japanese youth try to continue their studies in high school. Education in primary and high school free, for high school need to pay.

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 7th to 9th grades. High school education lasts for 3 years, until the end of 12th grade.

A table clearly showing the education system in Japan.

Age	stage	Educational establishments
6-7	1	Primary School (Grades 1-6) - Shogakko shogakko
7-8	2
8-9	3
9-10	4
10-11	5
11-12	6
12-13	1	Middle school (grades 7-9) - chugakko(chugakko) (compulsory free education)
13-14	2
14-15	3
15-16	1	High School (grades 10-12) - Kotogakko(koutougakko) (paid education)
16-17	2
17-18	3

Features of Japanese schools

The uniqueness of Japanese schools is that the composition of the class changes annually, which allows students to develop communication skills and makes it possible to establish friendly relations with a large number peers. Teachers in Japanese schools also change every year. Class sizes in Japanese schools are large, ranging from 30 to 40 students.

The academic year in Japanese schools begins on April 1, it consists of three trimesters, which are separated from each other by holidays. In spring and winter, schoolchildren rest for ten days; the summer vacation period is 40 days. The school week lasts from Monday to Friday, some schools have classes on Saturday, with schoolchildren resting every second Saturday.

Lessons in Japanese schools last for 50 minutes, for kids the lesson lasts 45 minutes, then there is a short break. Daily educational process for a Japanese schoolchild it ends at 3 pm. Learning takes place in primary school Japanese language, social studies, natural science, mathematics, music, fine arts, physical education, housekeeping. Primary school students are not given homework and do not take exams.

Middle and high school education

Two years ago, English was introduced for compulsory education, it is taught from secondary school, only native speakers of the language are allowed to teach English. Secondary schools in Japan teach several more special subjects, their composition depends on the school itself.

Traditionally, the most difficult subjects in a Japanese school are the study of languages ​​- native and English. Students begin to be examined in high school. They take exams at the end of the trimester in all subjects; in the middle of the first and second trimester, exams are held in mathematics, natural science, social studies, Japanese, and English.

Japanese schoolchildren can eat lunch for an hour. There are no canteens in schools; hot lunches for children are prepared in a special sterile room, and here they are placed in individual boxes, which are brought to classes on carts.

Education of foreign schoolchildren, schools for Russians

All foreign students living in Japan have the right to school education, which can be obtained in municipal 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, parents will only need to purchase notebooks for written calculations and other educational supplies for their child. (With)

One of the schools, in the right corner there is a plan of the school.

parking near the school

The numbering of classes is not continuous, as in Russia, but internal - “first grade of elementary school,” “second grade of high school,” and so on. Parallels are usually indicated by letters of the Latin alphabet: 1-A (first parallel of the first class), 1-B (second parallel of the first class) and so on, or by numbers: 1-1, 1-2 and so on.

Primary and secondary schools in Japan are compulsory for everyone and free of charge.High school is not compulsory, but about 95% percent continue their studies after high school. 48% of high school graduates go on to college (2 years) or university (4 years).

Education in high school and university is always paid, but in government institutions it's cheaper. There are also fee-paying private primary and secondary schools. In all paid institutions you can study for free or get a big discount if you win a scholarship competition.

Japanese mothers tend to be very attentive to their children's success. They maintain close contact with teachers, participate in the life of the school, and in case of illness of children, sometimes even go to classes instead of them and take notes on lectures. Such fanatical mothers are called “kiyoiku mama.”

At the same time, the children themselves often “sit on the neck” of their parents until they are about 25-30 years old, when they begin to earn enough to feed themselves.

Academic year

The school year in Japan is divided into three trimesters and begins on April 6. The first trimester lasts until July 20, then comes the big ones. summer holidays, the second trimester begins on September 1, winter holidays start on December 26, and the last, third, trimester lasts from January 7 to March 25. Then there is a short spring break, during which there is a transition from class to class. Exact dates The beginning and end of terms are different in different schools.

The beginning of the school year in April is due to the fact that at this time in Japan spring comes into full force and cherry blossoms begin to bloom. There is a movement to move the start of the school year to September 1, but it is not very popular.

During the holidays, students receive homework. Sometimes they continue to study during the holidays (in special courses), if they did not study well enough during the trimesters. It is recommended that elementary school students keep “picture diaries” during the holidays - pictures fill in gaps in kanji knowledge and develop the student’s ability to write and draw.

Studying in Japan lasts six days, but every second Saturday is considered a day off.

School program

The teaching program varies from school to school, but is based on standards approved by the Ministry of Education. Responsibility for funding, teacher staffing and the school curriculum lies with local authorities.

In Japan, people begin to attend school when they reach the age of six. Before this, children usually go to kindergarten. By the time they enter school, children should have basic arithmetic and be able to read hiragana and katakana.

In elementary school, children study Japanese, mathematics, science (physics, chemistry, biology), social studies (ethics, history, etiquette, music, fine arts, physical education and home economics.

By the end of primary school, children must, in particular, learn 1006 Kanji characters from the 1945 characters on the state list.

The composition of these subjects depends on the school.

The most difficult subjects are mathematics and languages ​​- Japanese (learning kanji) and English.

The high school curriculum is slightly more varied than the middle and primary school curriculum, but students are given more opportunities to specialize in a particular area of ​​study.

Timetable

Just like in Russia, but unlike the USA, primary and secondary schools are usually located within a 5-10 minute walk from the student's home. Of course, in rural areas the school may be significantly further away.

School classes usually start at half past eight in the morning.Every Monday before classes begin, students line up and the school principal speaks to them for 15 minutes. On other days, this time is reserved for school-wide announcements and attendance. Attending school diligently is a priority in Japan. great importance. However, a truant may run away from school after the first lesson.

The duration of lessons in elementary schools is 45 minutes, in middle and high schools - 50 minutes. Between lessons there are small breaks of 5-10 minutes; after the fourth lesson (at about half past one) there is usually a long break for lunch - about 60 minutes. Students who try to start eating breakfasts brought from home before the official start of lunch are punished, especially if they eat during lessons.

In elementary school there are rarely more than four lessons a day. In high school their number can reach up to six.

In elementary school there is no homework, but in middle and high school homework is very large, therefore, despite the presence of days off, older Japanese schoolchildren are the most busy people in the country.

Organization of studies

Unlike Russian schools, in Japan each class is assigned its own office (in Russia the office is assigned to the teacher). Therefore, it is not the students, but the teachers who walk from office to office between lessons. The office assigned to the class is signed with the appropriate sign.

There are different teachers for each grade and each subject, although in small schools this may not be the case.

Japanese schools often do not have cafeterias or locker rooms, so students have to eat lunch and hang their clothes in the classrooms.The children on duty themselves, under the supervision of an adult, prepare food for their class, which they then take to class, or the children eat food brought from home

There are no cleaners in Japanese schools.At the end of lessons, all students clean their classroom and their assigned school area.

Joint field trips and excursions to ancient Japanese cities and temples are often organized for schoolchildren. Such excursions usually last up to three to four days.

School uniform

For most middle and high schools, school uniforms are required. Each school has its own, but in reality there are not many options. Usually this is a white shirt and dark jacket and trousers for boys and a white shirt and dark jacket and skirt for girls, or a sailor fuku - “sailor suit”. Black or white knee socks, the skirt covers the knees, low heels.The uniform also includes a bright baseball cap, which is a kind of identification mark. Pupils primary classes, as a rule, dress in ordinary children's clothing.

junior school uniform.

High school girls uniform

Clubs and courses

Participation in the activities of school clubs (kai) is considered an important part of studying in secondary school. Usually their activities are related to either sports or art,takes place at the end of classes and is organized by the students themselves.

Aside from the obvious benefits they provide, clubs are also breeding grounds for hazing, where older students bully younger students to get better results (or just to make fun of them).

At the very beginning of the school year, the leadership of the clubs puts out their “advertising” for seventh grade students.Almost every seventh grader enrolls in one or more clubs and remains in them throughout their entire time in high school.

In addition to the school itself, most students attend paid preparatory courses - juku, in which they are helped to better prepare for passing school exams. Juku classes usually take place in the evening, two to three times a week.

In addition to all that has been said, I would like to add that: culture in Japan includes activities in the pool

Exams

The main problem of Japanese schools is the exhausting exams, each of which takes several hours of hard work and much more time in the process of preparing for it. From time to time they become the cause of suicide among schoolchildren.

Middle and high school students take exams at the end of each term and midway through the first and second terms. There are no exams in primary school. Mid-term exams are held in Japanese, mathematics, English, science and social studies. At the end of terms, exams are held in all subjects studied.

A week before the start of exams, club meetings are canceled to allow students to prepare for exams. Examinations usually take the form of written tests. Exams are graded using a percentage system. The highest score is 100 points.

After high school

The transition from middle school to high school is based on exam results.First, based on his school performance, the student receives a list of high schools to which he has a chance of admission. He then takes a transition exam, and based on his results and previous performance, the question of which high school the student will enter is decided.

Good students get into prestigious high schools, bad ones - to run-down schools for those who do not intend to receive higher education. T which schools focus on home economics, Agriculture and so on. Their graduates have no career prospects.

Those who do not want to enroll in high school can enroll in five-year "technical colleges" - vocational schools. However, entering them is not so easy - there is a lot of competition for the best of them, since skilled workers are highly valued in Japan.Some technical colleges are owned by large firms, and their graduates are immediately employed.

Academy.

In addition to regular public schools, there are also private fee-paying academy schools (gakuen), as well as “national” schools - schools of national importance. To enter them, you need to pass special exams in conditions of great competition. On the other hand, they have better educational programs, and many of them provide non-competitive admission to high school or university.

Typically, the children of the Japanese elite study at academy schools: politicians, businessmen, diplomats, and professors from famous universities. Those who receive scholarships to study at academies often turn out to be “black sheep” and sometimes become the subject of bullying by classmates.

Some academies do not require wearing a school uniform.

Universities and colleges

The main criterion when choosing a university is prestige.Those who were able to graduate from a prestigious educational institution are hired for almost any job.It is believed that a capable and diligent young man can understand any matter that is entrusted to him.

Instead of a university, you can enroll in a two-year college that provides specialized education. About 90% of Japanese girls enroll in them and receive “lower” female professions there: nurses, kindergarten teachers, primary school teachers, qualified housewives, seiyuu actresses.

Admission to the university takes place in two stages.

At the first, high school graduates take a national exam. Based on its results, they submit applications to the university of their choice. There the issue of their admission to the entrance exams themselves is decided, which they then pass.

Some of the most prestigious universities include state universities Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Sapporo, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Sendai, as well as private universities: Waseda, Keio, Chuo, Meiji in Tokyo, Kansai University in Osaka and Ritsumei in Kyoto.

The most prestigious is the State University of Tokyo (Todai), founded in 1877 and occupying an area of ​​30 hectares in the center of Tokyo. About 10 thousand people study within its walls at the same time, 2,000 of them are foreigners. 90% of Todai graduates take their place in the country's elite, two of its graduates became laureates Nobel Prize in literature (Kawabata Yasunari and Oe Kenzaburo).

Those who did not pass the exams at the desired university can take the exams in a year or two. At this time, applicants either study in special yobiko courses, or work, or combine the first and second.

Unlike school, studying at university is a time of relative freebies.

The set of disciplines is chosen by the student himself, naturally, within certain limits. As a rule, there are no large term papers or dissertations - you just need to write reports of several pages. Therefore, students are practically not involved in serious scientific work. And if they are involved, then as assistants, but not as independent researchers. Many students devote their time to studying to find a job and live with a variety of extra jobs.

After graduating from university, you can enroll in a 2-3-year graduate school and receive an academic degree after graduation.

A story about a Japanese school would be far from complete without mentioning the teachers.

So what is a Japanese teacher like? The title “my second mother” or “my second father” might well be appropriate for a Japanese teacher, since there are a lot of male teachers in Japanese schools. For a Japanese schoolchild, a teacher is something like a close relative. Together with the primary school teacher, schoolchildren clean the classroom after lunch and classes. Often the teacher delves into all the disagreements between children and shares all their joys or failures. A teacher's working day in a Japanese school begins at 8 am and ends at 6-7 pm. In Japan, school holidays are only 2 months and 1 week in total, but this is only for schoolchildren, and even less for teachers.

By the way, there are no pedagogical universities in Japan; they don’t teach “to be teachers” here. Any citizen who has completed higher education can take the (quite difficult) exam and obtain a license to work as a teacher. And in order to confirm the title, every 10 years the teacher must take courses, after which his license can be renewed. In addition, parents or employees of the district education committee have the right to recognize a teacher as a “teacher who is teaching improperly.” In this case, he will be required to take courses to “correct the nature of teaching.”

Japan has passed a law requiring teachers to be in the top 25 percent of earners. average salary teachers is 2.4 times the national average.

The educational process for Japanese children begins from the moment they enter kindergarten and smoothly and continuously flows from one stage to another. The peculiarities of school education in Japan lie, firstly, in the unusual start date for the school year in Japanese schools.

For Japanese children schooling starts in April. This is associated with the beginning of cherry blossoms. And why not, when the nature around us is renewed, perhaps the mood for learning in children should be higher.

The beginning of the school year, which by our standards comes at the end of the school year (pardon the pun), is unusual for us. In Russia, the school year begins on September 1; in almost all of Europe, children begin school in September, in some countries no later than October. In America, the school year in each state also has its own date, but in general the educational process in schools begins from August to September.

But for Asia, the beginning of the school year in March-April is not surprising (in Korea, the school year begins in March); in India, children generally begin to study in the summer - June 1. In the summer we want to relax, swim, sunbathe - but they always have summer. (I’m not being serious, of course, each country has its own reasons and arguments why, something is happening at this particular time, I haven’t studied this issue).

Let's return to Japan: there are three trimesters in the academic year and the first lasts from April to July 20, then the longest summer holidays are provided and the second stage of education begins on September 1, then winter holidays from December 26 to January 6 and the last trimester begins on January 7 , which ends on March 25 and with it the academic year ends. In a week, students will start classes again, but will be one grade older.

As we can see, the holidays for Russian children are much longer. But Japanese children do not stop studying during short holidays, as they are given homework, and some of them continue their studies in special schools and courses. Both parents and schoolchildren themselves know that studying at school will not provide them with a sufficient level of knowledge, thanks to which they will be able to enter a state university in the future.

Therefore, the vast majority of students attend private schools in parallel with their studies at school ( juku) And preparatory schools (yobikoo). This training takes place after school and it is typical for Japan that at 9 pm the streets and public transport filled out by students with backpacks who, after finishing juku are returning home.

Additional children attend educational institutions and on Sunday, despite the fact that Saturday is considered a school day. Such intensive learning, which is of a mass nature, is another feature of school education in Japan.

Schools provide textbooks to students free of charge. All schools operate according to uniform programs approved by the Ministry of Education of Japan, but elite schools have the right to change and adjust them at their discretion, while slightly changing the number of hours or introducing additional subjects.

It is also considered a feature of school education in Japan that despite the fact that all schools operate according to uniform programs, there are nevertheless no uniform textbooks in Japan, especially in subjects related to history, geography, literature, etc. Since these issues are studied taking into account the region of residence of the students. That is, the school studies in depth its region, its nature, climate, history of the region’s development, famous people who lived in this area.

In state (public) schools, the class size is quite high, up to 40 people. The class is usually divided into groups of 4-6 people, each of which has its own leader. They go to school in groups, they communicate in groups outside of class, the child is never alone, he is always in society. The school continues to actively socialize students.

Schools are usually located close to where students live. The school has its own uniform; in primary school uniforms are not required, but from secondary school seifuku(school uniform) is required. And traditionally, military-style uniforms are provided for boys, and sailor suits for girls.

As was said, complete education It is not necessary for a Japanese student; it is enough to finish high school, but nevertheless, more than 95% of children continue their education in high school. And another feature of school education in Japan is that the percentage of public schools implementing high school programs is reduced from 99% to 75.7%; public schools are being replaced by private schools, the percentage of which increases to 24.

Just like our mothers do with their children at home, but much more intensively and actively, the mother takes part in school life his child often visiting her. It should be borne in mind that, as a rule, he does not work or works part-time. For his part, the Japanese child (student) is quite disciplined and practically never misses classes. The percentage of children's attendance at classes is 99.98%. Which seems fantastic.

There is probably a secret to such high attendance. I don’t know how it is at school, but I can tell you how they motivate a student to attend classes: despite the fact that a lot of money is paid for training, if a student is sick, he is allowed not to come to classes, BUT in order to then receive a certificate of completion educational institution, the student needs to make up the missed classes, that is, to study additionally with the teacher, but for an additional fee and for one day of absence he had to pay an additional amount of our money - 6,000 rubles. After that, you’ll think about whether it’s worth getting sick or whether it’s better to go to classes. It is clear that this is a different situation, but the principle is that you can always find a stimulating beginning.

The main goal of Japanese education is to identify gifted and exceptionally thinking students as early as possible and develop their talents. Despite all the advantages of the Japanese educational system (the use high technology, ergonomics, comprehensiveness) many critics note that it develops, first of all, a sense of collectivism, but does not contribute to the development of an understanding of their own individuality in children and young people.

Preschool education

Japanese children usually go to kindergartens after three or four years of age. Preschool education is in high demand in Japan, so parents should get on the waiting list for kindergarten early. For children from three months There are also nurseries, but in order to get a place there, parents must provide the municipality with many certificates confirming that they need to work, and they do not have other relatives who can look after the child.

Kindergartens are divided into:

• government;
• private (about 80% of all preschool educational institutions).

There is no particular difference in educational program There are no private or public kindergartens. There are also no significant differences in tuition fees. In Japan, rich families pay the most for preschool education. Benefits are provided for low-income families. Many kindergartens prepare children to study at a particular school or university.

In kindergartens, the teacher starts a notebook for each child. The child’s behavior during the day, his state of health, achievements, and characteristics of communication with peers and adults are recorded there. The notebook is regularly shown to parents. They, in turn, also share the necessary information with the teacher, listen to his advice and use his recommendations when raising children. Japanese parents are, in principle, highly involved in the educational process. They often hold parent-teacher meetings, communicate with teachers, share experiences with each other and jointly resolve all issues that arise.

In kindergarten, children learn, first of all, to take care of themselves, take care of their health and love their culture. But main goal preschool education is the socialization of the child and the development of the ability to cooperate.

School education

The duration and structure of school education in Russia and Japan differs significantly. Schooling lasts 12 years. Moreover, one academic year lasts as much as 11 months (from April to March). Schools accept children aged 6-7 years. School education is divided into three stages:

• Primary School. Japanese students, unlike Russian ones, study in primary school for 6 years. At this stage, studying is quite easy: teachers do not assign homework, there are no exams, and the number of lessons per day is no more than four. The main task of primary school teachers is to introduce children to general information about the world and their home country.
• high school. Secondary school education lasts 3 years. All this time passes for Japanese teenagers in intense study. They need to prepare for a huge number tests, tests, tests and exams. Every day, be it weekdays, weekends or holidays, Japanese schoolchildren sit at their lessons. From successful completion exams (secondary school sessions happen 2-3 times per academic year) determine whether the student will be able to advance to the next grade or not. Teenagers must combine their studies with various clubs and sections of interest.
• high school. Unlike the first two educational levels, it is not necessary to attend high school, and besides, education in it is paid. But, despite these conditions, 94% of Japanese schoolchildren become high school students, because continuing school education allows them to enter a higher education institution.

Higher and secondary education

Secondary education in Japan is represented by:

• junior colleges where you can get a medical or humanities education;
• technology colleges;
• colleges of a special focus, where they train chefs, designers, tailors, etc.

45% of Japanese have higher education. To enter a university, you need to go through two stages of entrance examinations. The first stage is carried out by the National Center for University Admission, and the second stage is carried out by the university directly chosen by the applicant. If a future student successfully studied in primary and secondary school at a university, he receives the right to continue higher education without entrance exams.

To obtain a bachelor's degree you need to complete 4 courses. For the first two years, Japanese students study general scientific disciplines - philosophy, cultural studies, history, literature, social sciences, foreign languages. After these two years, students move on to studying the immediate fundamentals of their future specialty. After mastering the general scientific course, the student receives the right to transfer to another faculty.

The bachelor can then obtain a master's and doctorate. This requires applied and fundamental scientific research.

Study in Japan for foreigners

Japanese society still remains quite closed, so the number foreign students It's not big here. Mostly people from other Asian countries come here to study - China, Taiwan, Korea, etc. However, since the 1980s, several programs began to work in Japan to attract talented foreign students and teachers. However, Japanese universities do not provide instruction in any language other than Japanese. Therefore, applicants must be fluent in it.

Higher education in Japan, as a rule, is paid for both foreigners and local citizens. Only the best students can count on a scholarship that fully covers the cost of education.

Since you can enroll in a Japanese university only after completing 12 school grades, foreigners who studied in an 11-year program will have to complete one more year by studying at a university in their home country or completing the twelfth grade in Japan. In addition to the school certificate, a foreign applicant must provide the following documents to the admissions committee:

• results of the Nihongo Noryoku Shiken test (which determines the degree of proficiency in the Japanese language) or the Nihongo Ryugaku Shiken test (a test of knowledge of the Japanese language and some general disciplines);
• TOEFL or IELTS results;
• statement;
• biography;
• medical certificate;
• photos;
• The most prestigious universities may also require letters of recommendation and motivation, as well as certificates of financial solvency.

Probably, many people have heard about the so-called advanced education system in Japan, but few people (except, perhaps, fans of Japanese cartoons and comics) imagine that it exists. However, before talking about education, it is worth saying a few words about the mentality and traditions of the Japanese, because it was they, in the opinion of the author of the article, that made education in this country so different from the European and Russian ones we are used to (although Japan was taken as a model American model education).

Hard work

Firstly, it is worth noting the hard work of the Japanese. Unlike our country, where few people have always paid attention to hard work, in Japan it is put at the forefront. We can say that it is valued there much higher than intelligence, ingenuity, the ability to get out and others useful to people qualities It is worth saying that they are partly right, because without hard work there is no progress. However, Japanese industriousness is not aimed at development, but rather at excellent execution of routine activities. Diligence and the desire to do the job as best and quickly as possible are qualities vital to the average Japanese worker. Many people in Japan stay at work until late at night (even office workers); work often causes the entire family to move several times a year (which, for example, is a little unusual for Russia).

Secondly, in Japan free-thinking and arguing with superiors are categorically discouraged. Since the deepest Middle Ages in this country there have remained highest degree respectful attitude towards superiors. Subordinates are obliged to unquestioningly obey and please their boss, carry out all orders efficiently and on time. This is another distinctive quality good worker.

Attitude towards education

The attitude towards education in Japan is very reverent. Unlike our country, higher education there is the lot of a few, especially in areas such as medicine or information Technology. Education fees are quite high, and parents rarely pay for their children’s higher education. Therefore, after school, the Japanese immediately find a part-time job or go back to their main job.

From kindergarten onwards, Japanese children are taught that the world is built on competition. Already upon entering primary school at the age of 6 (grades 1-6 in the Russian system we understand), children face quite difficult exams. At the same time, many junior schools are already paid. The better and more prestigious the school, the more expensive the tuition and the more difficult the exams. In elementary school, the emphasis is on learning the Japanese language (the average student must complete about 1,850 hieroglyphs) and on the child’s adaptation to the team. After graduating from primary school, exams for secondary school (grades 7-9) are taken. Junior and secondary education are compulsory; after graduating from high school, many students already find work and do not go to high school. Those who managed to pass the exams and enter high school (grades 10-12) have another 3 years of study and graduation. After graduating from high school, a Japanese student has the right to apply to a university or college.

Learning process

All high schools and some middle schools are fee-paying. However, despite the costs, most parents strive to send their children to private schools, because the education there is better, and prestige plays a significant role in the life of the Japanese. important role. Children studying in fee-paying schools quickly realize that it is not profitable for them to stay for a second year. In addition, every six months all students take mandatory exams in test form and gain points for each subject. The exam results are posted on a common board in the form of a rating in descending order of points. Unsuccessful students take a retake and stay for additional classes (including summer classes). If after retaking the student still fails to achieve acceptable scores, he remains in the second year.

The educational process in Japanese schools is organized as constant preparation for the next exams. As a result, children are constantly forced to memorize material that could be useful in tests. Creative and leisurely acquisition of knowledge is completely excluded in Japan. Due to frequent exams, the popularity of additional courses to improve academic performance is growing. Japanese youth visit them after school and club activities.

The school year for schoolchildren begins in April. Studying takes place in 3 terms; between terms there are summer (about a month) and winter (also about a month) holidays, which are shortened if the student needs to attend additional classes. The school week consists of 6 days - from Monday to Saturday. Lessons begin in the first shift - at 8 - 9 o'clock in the morning and continue until 3-4 o'clock in the afternoon. After classes there are club activities.

Japanese school clubs

It’s worth telling more about Japanese school clubs. Unlike Russia, school club activities there are highly encouraged and even funded by the government. The clubs themselves are created either by students (you need to submit an application, attract a certain number of members and find a teacher-supervisor) or teachers (most often this applies to sports sections). Directionality school clubs very different - sports, cultural, according to interests. The main thing is the obvious benefit for students and the presence of interest on their part. Each club is allocated a certain amount of funds from the school budget. The distribution of funds is handled by the student council - an education consisting of students, selected by student vote every year.

School life

Every autumn, schools in Japan are required to hold school cultural festivals.

The purpose of such festivals (in addition to entertainment for students and their parents) is to attract new students to the school. The class is allocated a certain amount of funds and space to implement a unique idea within the school, such as creating a cafe, theatrical production, house of horrors, etc. Students are freed from classes for several days and diligently prepare for the festival. As a rule, festivals last from one to three days; quite a lot of visitors come to the school on these days. Such a festival usually ends with fireworks, traditional for Japan.

In addition to cultural festivals, each school holds sports festivals. At such festivals, each class competes with others in a number of disciplines, and based on the results, a winning class is selected and awarded a small prize.

Japanese schools are also interesting for their school trips. Every self-respecting school with the onset of the warm season takes its students on excursions to historical places. Such excursions last about 3 days, students travel by bus or plane and spend the night in a hotel.

School life in Japan is indeed quite an interesting time. Hard work is encouraged in every possible way, conditions for collective activity and development are created, and interest in school events is stimulated. A sense of collectivism is also instilled here: group projects are encouraged. All conflicts that arise in Japanese schools are resolved by the students themselves; parents are involved only in extreme cases.

Higher education

Education at Japanese universities begins after high school, is strictly paid and lasts 4 years for a bachelor's degree and 6 years for a master's degree. Unlike schools, Japanese universities are built on European models. Among the Japanese, university education is considered truly the highest.

For the first couple of years, all Japanese students study a range of general education subjects. They are compulsory, and every more or less prestigious and reputable university places emphasis on extensive general educational training for young people. In some universities, general education subjects make up up to half of all subjects studied by students. In the first two years of study, students can still think about their choice and transfer to another faculty at the end of 2 years. them in state universities usually about 10 pieces. After this, full-fledged training in subjects in the specialty begins.

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 help but leave its mark on this area.

general characteristics

The education system in Japan is rightfully considered one of the oldest in the world. It originates back in the VI-VII centuries. It was then that the education system in developed Asian countries came to the island from the mainland.

It is based Chinese system education, which remains only slightly changed today.

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, consisting of three levels: primary (sho:gakko), middle (chu:gakko) and high (iko:to: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:

Education system in Japan: interesting facts

The Japanese school has many interesting features that distinguish it from the domestic one.

For example, the numbering of classes here is not like ours (end-to-end). Class numbers are assigned according to internal rules. For example, 4th grade of primary school, 2nd grade of secondary school, etc.

There is no free high school in Japan, much less a university. However, there are a tiny number of institutions state property, where 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 lasts from April 6 to July 20, followed by summer holidays, the second term lasts from September 1 to December 26, and the third from 7 January to March 25.

The week without classes that 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 the cherry blossoms bloom.

The school week lasts 6 days (in rare schools – 5). At the same time, students must be given Saturdays off twice a month.

The school curriculum here is not determined by the state, but depends on the specific educational institution. But they all 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 training, he must master the basics of arithmetic and master the technique of reading katakana and hirogana.

Upon entering primary school, children study mathematics, Japanese, and science. Imagine - chemistry and physics from elementary school! In addition, they teach ethics, history, etiquette, music, home economics, fine arts and physical education. As a final test of knowledge, you will have to pass an exam on knowledge of 1006 state kanji characters (and there are 1945 in total!!!).

Having passed the exam, the child enters secondary school, where he continues to study all the same sciences as at the previous stage. This also includes the study of English and some elective subjects (depending on the chosen school). Among all the 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.

Japan Special Education

Japanese special education was built on Western models. But here to get professional education extremely difficult, since narrow specialists are highly valued.

A completely different story is “juku” - schools of mastery, or, to put it more 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 analyzes the material of the chosen discipline and also studies in detail additional material so that students successfully complete final exams At school.

Despite the fact that all juku are paid, almost all schoolchildren 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 ours, exams for Japanese schoolchildren are the most terrible and difficult test. Each exam lasts several hours. And the difficulty can be judged by the fact that students have to additionally prepare for them for a very long time.

But in primary school there are no exams. But in middle and high school they have to be taken 5 times annually: at the end of each trimester and in the middle of the first 2 trimesters.

Intermediate exams are taken in the following disciplines:

• mathematics,
• Japanese language,
• English language,
• social science,
• natural Sciences.

After each trimester, you 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 transferred to high school or not. The number of points earned is important for admission to a more prestigious school. If the results are poor, the student will face a bad school, after which it will be impossible to go to university and generally have any prospects in a future career.

Features of higher education in Japan

Universal 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:

1. Prestigious private universities (Waseda, Nihon Keio, Tokai). Those who manage to successfully graduate from these universities will become elite, managers senior management, representatives in the government. It is impossible to get into these universities without proper preparation and recommendations. But a diploma from there will be a pass to any job, regardless of what specialization and what grades you studied for.
2. Top universities in the country (University of Tokyo and Yokohama). The cost of training here is much lower. But it will be extremely difficult to get in because of the huge competition.
3. Other universities. They are organized by prefectures. Tuition fees will be low with relatively little competition for a place.
4. Small private universities. With high tuition fees, students do not receive any guarantees for further employment. And the diploma is not considered prestigious.

Not mandatory in Japan higher education, because not everyone can afford to pay for their studies. But in most universities, the cost of tuition 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. However, the price will be completely different depending on the chosen university.

Education for foreigners

Huge amounts of money and incredibly difficult exams raised the level of education in Japan 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 this. And there are 2 such methods:

1. Obtaining a standard higher education. Duration of training – 4-6 years. average cost studies – 6-9 thousand US dollars. To study here, a foreigner will have to work hard not only on learning the Japanese language, but also on the entrance exams.
2. Accelerated course for obtaining education at a university. Duration of training – 2 years. The cost is much lower, and everything else is much simpler. It is enough to speak at least English.

Here you can get acquainted with the Japanese education system in more detail:

If a foreigner wants to enroll in a Japanese university after graduating from a university in his home country, he will have to get an apostille on his own diploma. Since Japan is a party to the Hague Convention, a foreigner will not have to bother with legalization (and this is much more difficult), but only use an apostille.

All incoming foreigners are given the same equal opportunities, regardless of their country of residence. And if you have no problems with admission to the university and payment, you will be happy to see you at the chosen university in Japan.

Japanese universities have begun to actively attract young people from neighboring Asian countries, especially from China, Taiwan, and Korea. But this does not prevent people from developed countries from trying their luck. Western countries who want to join the great Japanese culture and experience national system management.

According to statistics, there are about 1,000 American students studying in Japan.

Researchers and teachers from other countries are actively recruited to work with foreign students and for the common good of Japan. And if previously a foreigner could not hold leadership positions, then recently a law was passed according to which a foreign specialist can hold full-time position in Japanese universities.

And if a foreign student does not speak Japanese well, he can take a specially organized one-year Japanese course at the Osaka International Student Institute. And as part of the exchange, about 1,000 English teachers come to Japan every year.

Foreign 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 country. For foreigners, this is often 11 years of school and 1 year at a college/institute/preparatory course, as well as at a Japanese language school at the International Students Institute or Kansai International Students Institute.

You can study here even if you have passed the exams under the International Baccalaureate, Abitur, etc. programs.

A general education exam for foreign students is mandatory here. For example, humanities students will be tested on their knowledge of mathematics, world history, English. A 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 administered by the Association for International Education itself. You can take it to 31 countries around the world. The test consists of the following blocks:

1. Testing your knowledge of hieroglyphs and vocabulary.
2. Auditory perception.
3. Reading and testing knowledge in the field of grammar.

There are 4 levels of difficulty 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. Fourth – 150 hours and 100 hieroglyphs.

If you manage to pass the first level exam, you can enroll in 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 professions are those related to economics, medicine, philology, pedagogy (up to 900 thousand yen at the rate of 1 US dollar = 109 yen at the rate as of 06/05/2018).

As for living expenses, a foreign student should be prepared to pay about 9-12 thousand yen per year, depending on the location of the university.

About 80% of foreign students study in Japan through own funds. The rest receive their education through various scholarships.

By the way, we already have material on how to get a grant and scholarship to study abroad. Take a look, you will probably find a lot of interesting things for yourself.

Training

After graduating from universities, graduates continue to study at corporations that will hire them. In Japan, there is a so-called “lifetime 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 ranking of the graduating university, test results, degree results general training and culture, the degree of assimilation of humanitarian and technical knowledge. If all this is satisfactory, the applicant is invited to undergo an interview. During a personal meeting, the student’s personal qualities will be assessed: readiness 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 mandatory short course training for up to 4 weeks, during which he will be introduced to the company, production, structure, history of development, traditions, concept.

At the end of the introductory course, studies begin again. It can last from one month to one year. Typically, training mainly consists of practical classes, which are carried out by different divisions of the company. There will also be a course of lectures and seminars on the system of organizing production, sales, labor, and the specifics of the activities of future managers. But usually there are much more practical classes than theoretical ones.

As soon as the employee is minimally familiar with one specialty, he is transferred to another place, where the learning process begins again. The interesting thing is that in Japan the best way advanced training of workers is such a periodic system of jobs during labor activity employee. Thanks to this, the company can develop a general manager who will be perfectly aware of all the specifics of the work of many divisions of the organization.

But, of course, to be a manager, you will have to receive additional academic education. Applicant for leadership position must take courses in production management, service, product sales, financial activities, human resources management and international trade.

This all seems quite 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 preparing for admission to Japanese universities is clearly preventing you from studying normally at a domestic university or school, do not despair. A reliable friend in the form of a student assistance service will help solve any problems in the form of problems with tests, coursework, etc.