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PART lssues and Perspectives of Elementaryand Secondary Education

The enrollment ratio for kindergarten (the percentage of kindergarten graduates against the number of first grade pupils in elementary schools) reached 63.7% in 1988. In one third of municipalities all over the country, however, no kindergarten has been established ; thus a regional imbalance of the distribution of kindergartens awaits policy measures in promotion of kindergarten education.

Concerning the improvement of educational conditions such as facilities, a portion of the costs of facilities and equipment of public and private kindergartens have been subsidized when they are constructed or buildings are added. Also, in order to reduce the financial burden of the parents with kindergarten age chi1dren, the Ministry provides subsidies to local governments for their promotional programs of kindergarten enrollment by reducing or exempting from entrance and tuition fees. The standard for class size of kindergartens is, meanwhile, under review.

The curriculum standard for kindergarten was revised after 25 years by the revision of the Course of Study for Kindergarten in March 1989, in order to respond to the changes of the surrounding social environment and the changes in infants' development. The new Course of Study is implementable from 1990 and the Ministry published a guidebook on kindergarten education which should help explain the Course of Study. The new Course of Study also allows flexible setting of daily hours of kindergarten operation particularly at the locations where day nurseries are not established.