Essays
Measures for Better EducationStarting with the middle school entrance examinations, have you ever seen a tired-looking elementary school student on the train at night, clutching a workbook and sitting between businessmen? When you see this, can you suppress a feeling of compassion toward the child for studying so hard at such a young age? Perhaps Japanese middle school entrance examinations expect too much knowledge out of a child. Knowledge is important, but it is not everything.
I have experienced the entrance examinations. I was admitted to the Keio Shonan Fujisawa Junior High School, so I definitely do not regret having taken the examinations. Yet, there were many sacrifices while I prepared for them. I had to reject numerous invitations from my friends because I had to go to cram school four days a week. My friends were all nice and understanding about it, but I still felt discontent, and sometimes even angry, that I had to be studying instead of being with friends like a normal child.
I also felt incredibly sad that I was not always free to do the things I wanted to do, such as writing and reading English stories, jogging outside, and doing various other activities. Many of my friends in cram school had given up piano, swimming, and Japanese calligraphy lessons because they needed the time to study. Nevertheless, they could not even realize they were sacrificing something very important, called “talents.”
When focusing on the Gross National Product per person, Japan has an impressive ranking of second place in the world. However, Japan is in twelfth place when it comes to the number of Olympic Medals, and in fourteenth place for the number of Nobel Prizes. The Gross National Product level must be supported by the high average of the Japanese educational level. However, the Japanese educational system seems to be lacking the ability to produce Japanese people with extraordinary talents and ideas. The status quo may be attributed to the entrance examination hell.
Of course, difficult middle school entrance examinations are beneficial in some ways. The exam can be an incentive for children to memorize facts at a young age, so they won’t have to suffer much later on. Also, it can habituate children to endeavor and persevere. As long as the middle school entrance examinations are hard, the Japanese are sure to be as diligent and wealthy as ever.
However, there are also great faults in this kind of entrance examination. It cannot test the exact propensity of children, because some intelligent ones may unfortunately be in bad conditions due to sickness when taking the test. In other cases, some might be carrying too much pressure because all their years of studying are lying on just one day. When a child feels the great devastation of failing in the examinations at such a young age, the child might lose self-confidence. In addition, because the child has to study hard, he/she would lose the time and opportunity to strengthen relationships or discover new talents. Learning social life is just as important as learning academic life, and talents are as essential as knowledge.
There are two ways to solve the problem. One way is to make the middle school entrance examinations easier. This would give children more free time. However, they might grow lazy and this will eventually lead to the reduction of Japan’s Gross National Product per person. A much better alternative is to test talents and athletic abilities as well as academic intelligence.
For example, Keio Shonan Fujisawa Junior High School tests all of the above in the entrance exam. This school allows you, and even encourages you, to show your special talents. My special talent is English story-writing. I sent the school one of my English stories, happy and satisfied to have someone to test my specialty. Keio Shonan Fujisawa Junior High School tests athletic abilities after the academic exam. Examinees have to be able to do quick flip-overs on bars, speedy running and fast dribbling.
As preparation for this school’s entrance examination, I occasionally went to Komazawa Park with my family or friends, to jog and practice dribbling a basketball. Fortunately, there were bars in my apartment, so I was able to practice flip-overs very often with support from my father. As a result, I progressed much both athletically and creatively.
Conformity has always been promoted in Japanese society. TTuscoy the independence of individuals is a disputable issue. On December 22, 2000, a report on educational reform was proposed to Prime Minister Mori, by the National Commission. The main points were to make humane Japanese people, to develop creative and talented individuals and to create schools appropriate for age. These proposals are to enhance education not only beneficial for independency in individuals, but also for the society and nation.
It is definitely necessary for Japanese people to think, determine and make actions independently in the twenty-first century, like the motto of Keio, “independence and self-respect.” This requires individual abilities, including a great scale of aptitude, physical strength and remarkable talents. If individual independence is not achieved, neither will Japan ever have real independence (Fukuzawa, 1868).
A consistent educational system from primary school to university is another interesting aspect of Keio that might also be considered to be implemented in the twenty-first century. Japan has maintained a “six-three-three-four years” educational system, but recently the good points of consistent educational system is becoming clear (Suzuki, 1998). This system eases the overly frantic and competitive entrance examinations and also provides some leisure for students, so they can relax and develop their creativity and capability as much as they want. There are many consistent extra-curricula suitable for this educational system, which further enriches the students.
Keio has been capable of producing people with various abilities, but there are some other paradigmatic educational systems. The future of nations depends on education, so it is important to make efforts for its enhancement. It is also important to acknowledge many different kinds of educational systems.
Japan’s counterpart, the United States of America, has an educational system mainly based on meritocracy, which is quite flexible compared to Japan’s rigid system. For example, some people reportedly go to university courses for physics at the age of fourteen, and a boy entered the pre-university of the Juliard Music Institute when he was eleven years old. Also, in the United States, one does not have to accumulate academic knowledge as in Japan, if he has special athletic ability. Training and exercising relentlessly from a young age can make one a billionaire, for example, if he becomes a first class NBA player.
This may be the reason why the United States has been able to come at the top of the world in various fields. The United States has achieved by far the largest number of Nobel Prizes, and American athletes have been able to take home the greatest number of medals at the Sidney Olympics as well. It is obvious that there are many people in America with outrageous talents and athletic skills. However, the United States ranks sixth when looking at the Gross National Product per person. There are many wealthy people in the United States, but there are also many poor people. Japan, on the other hand, is rather well-balanced. This data might indicate that meritocracy may lead to a great disparity of wealth.
South Korea has been making several changes in its educational system. South Korea has implemented fundamental educational reform, by such strategies as focusing on English and IT education. For example, South Korea has arranged English education to begin in as early as third grade in elementary school. There are evident marks of success of this trial: South Korea ranks ninth place in average TOEFL scores, while Japan is eighteenth. South Korea is in fourth place for the number of homepages on the internet whereas Japan is seventh.
The United Kingdom is another successful country. For one hundred and fifty years, the United Kingdom had “private schools.” The “public schools” in the United Kingdom were actually private schools, so later on the name changed to “independent schools.” The teachers’ roles kept changing as well. First, the teachers worked as craftsmen, teaching skills. Then they became tradesmen and taught commerce. Most recently, they became professionals, in which they provided various ideas. The United Kingdom developed in this way, and is now one of the greatest countries after the United States. The United Kingdom is in second place for the number of Nobel Prizes, so evidently, there are many people with special abilities and original ideas.
Japan can imitate some of the systems from these countries. A moderate meritocracy might stimulate Japanese children to cultivate the talents they possess, and early English education might interest Japanese children to understand more about international society. Japan should openly assimilate new styles that have the potential of improving the current Japanese educational system.
In conclusion, first of all, the Japanese middle school entrance examinations should go through some major transformations this century so that children will not have to study overtime and will have time to advance various abilities. More concretely, the examinations should test talents and athletic abilities as well as academic intelligence. Secondly, Japan should focus on cultivating the independence of individuals because it would eventually lead to the prosperity of Japan. Japan should adopt consistent education more because it would lessen the amount of time spent of preparation for the severe competition of entrance examinations. It would also provide relaxation and opportunities for receiving extra-curriculum classes. Keio Shonan Fujisawa Junior High School is such a school; it stresses individual-oriented education and allows students to relax with fun activity classes called “yutori.” In this sense, Keio Shonan Fujisawa Junior High School’s style is innovative among schools in Japan. The best way to supply what is lacking in Japan’s educational system is by comparing the Japanese educational system with those of other countries. Japan shall understand all styles of education around the globe and carefully choose the right strategy to bring about the best education for Japanese children in the twenty-first century.
References
1. Mita Kyouikukai. Keio Gijyuku no Kyouikuron. Tokyo: Keio University Press. 1998.
2. Suzuki, S.
Children of the 21st Century. Tokyo: Keio University Press. 2001.
3. Johnson, M.
Report by the National Commission on Educational Reform. Retrieved on Jan. 4, 2002.
4. 17 ways of educational reform. Kyouiku Kaikaku Kokumin Kaigi Houkoku. Retrieved on Jan. 4, 2002.
5. Murano, K.
English education for Japanese. Gogaku
Saizensen. Retrieved on Jan. 5, 2002.
6. Sydney Olympic Medal Number Ranking. Retrieved on Jan. 5, 2002.
7. Network Solutions. Domain Tourokusuu Ranking. Retrieved on Jan.5, 2002.
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