Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > JAPAMESE GOVERNMENT POLICIES IN EDUCATION,SCIENCE AND CULTURE 1990 > PART Chapter1 2 (3)

PART Recent Trends and Developments in Government Policies in Education, Science and Culture

In accordance with a recommendation offered by the National Council on Educational Reform, the National Institute for Educational Research, in May 1989, undertook a major reorganization of its structure with the aim of strengthening its research functions for contributing to the Ministry's policy-making activities, and of enhancing its functions as a national research center concerning school curricula, teaching materials, teaching methods, etc. Under this reorganization, the institute created a Research Division of Lifelong Learning Systems in October 1989 and a Research Division of Civics Education in October 1990 to strengthen its research structure.

In order to carry out educational reform more effectively, it is important for the Ministry to conduct practical and concrete studies regarding new issues to be dealt with by the Ministry and to utilize the findings of these studies in planning and formulating relevant policies and measures. With this recognition, in 1989 the Ministry began to commission non-governmental research organs to conduct "special studies related to the implementation of educational reform."