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CHAPTER . IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATIONAL CONTENT AND METHOD

As regards the selection of entrants into universities, the problems are more difficult than is the case with upper secondary schools. The total capacity of institutions of higher education is enough to accommodate 70 to 80% of the Upper secondary school graduates who want to go on to higher education. However, differences in social evaluations for each university are widening among with the increase in the number of universities, and the traditional tendency in Japan is to place too much emphasis one educational attainments leading students to become concentrated in the so-called prestige universities. This trend is making university admissions more and more competitive, and thus having a serious impact upon the educational activities of upper secondary schools.

Various measures have thus Far been taken to improve this situation. After World War , selections based on comprehensive evaluations including aptitude tests were made from 1947 to 1954. A comprehensive evaluation method utilizing credentials from upper secondary schools was adopted in 1966. A system of admitting a certain number of students based on recommendations from upper secondary schools was introduced in 1967. According to the 1963 recommendation of the Central Council for Education regarding the improvement of university admission procedures, the necessity of establishing an institute specializing in the study and development of scholastic aptitude tests and scholastic achievement tests and in their administration was pointed out and the Educational Test Research Institute was established to conduct such tests nation-wide as a basis for selecting university entrants. This institute, however, had to be abolished after several years, due mainly to the noncooperative attitude of the universities.

In spite of these measures, students are still admitted to universities exclusively on the basis of one time scholastic examinations. The objective of selecting those whose abilities and aptitudes are most suited to university education has not yet been achieved. Research made by the Educational Test Research Institute, the National Institute for Educational Research and other research institutes have reached the following conclusions as to the information to be used for the selection of university entrants:

(1) Selection made only on the basis of the results of scholastic examinations conducted by individual universities cannot provide highly valid results.

(2) The comprehensive use of scholastic examinations conducted by individual universities, tests administered by the Educational Test Research Institute and reports from upper secondary schools can select students whose scholastic attainment during their university career is much better than any of these individually.

(3) Scholastic achievements during the upper secondary school period as reported by these schools had a higher validity than the scholastic entrance examinations conducted by each university.

University entrance procedures in various major countries can also be categorized into three patterns, the American, European and the Soviet.

Admission procedures practiced in the United States can be further sub-divided into three categories: (l) Selection based on scores of tests administered by the College Entrance Examination Board, an independent examining agency, plus the student's academic records during his secondary school years; (2) Selection based on entrance examinations administered by each college or university, supplemented by the results of the College Board tests; (3) Selection based on the number of credits acquired in secondary schools and/or the record of grades earned. The first category is practiced in approximately one half of all universities and colleges in the United States. The tests administered by the College Board include the Scholastic Aptitude' Tests and the Scholastic Achievement Tests. Some universities require that both of these tests be taken, while in others only one of the two is required.

On the other hand, in the European countries, selection of university entrants is based on certifying examinations administered sometime during secondary school.

In England and Wales's admission to the universities is based on successfully passing the examination for the General Certificate of Education, which is a matriculation examination for university entrance. Candidates are examined at ordinary and advanced levels. The ordinary level is customarily taken at the end of the fifth year of secondary education (at the age of 16), and the advanced level is taken one to two years after this. Candidates decide the number and level or subjects to take in light of the requirements set by the university to which they apply.

In France admission to the universities is based on successfully passing a comprehensive examination called baccalaureat held by the central government at the end of the lycee. In principle a successful candidate can enter any universities he wants, however, with the recent increase in the number or candidates, there is a plan to limit successful candidates to universities in the area in which they live.

In the Federal Republic of Germany admission to the universities is determined by successfully passing the Abitur' examination given at the end of the Gymnasium by the Gymnasium approved by each state. This examination functions as a graduation examination as well as a certificate for admission to a university.

In the U.S.S.R. each university selects its entrants based on entrance examinations in accordance with nationaUy prescribed standards for examination procedures, subjects to be examined and content to be covered. Admission procedures in the U.S.S.R. are different from those in Japan, the U.S.A. and European countries in giving favorable treatment to those with military service, those recommended by employers and those having labor experience.

The general picture of university admission procedures outlined in the preceding paragraphs shows a new tendency toward attempting to select appropriately and accurately from among a wide base those who have abilities and aptitude.

In the United States a special officer usually called an' admissions officer' is appointed in each university for the purpose of making appropriate admission procedures. He must know educational content and the level of high schools. Orientation aimed at giving appropriate advice to incoming students during the period of transition from secondary school to college is also widely practiced.

In France the opportunity for higher education has been widened to include those students who have finished technical secondary schools by the creation of a baccalaureat technique. The opportunities to pass the examination have also been widened by increasing the number of examinations from one to two times a year.

In the Federal Republic of Germany there is a so-called Second Way providing an opportunity for those who went on to vocational schools after leaving Volksschule or Realschule to apply for entry to a university with the approval of the state Ministry of Education.