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

In order to provide people with diverse learning opportunities, some new types of educational institutions, such as the University of the Air, "credit-system upper secondary schools" and special training schools have been created.

The University of the Air alms at providing a great many people with an opportunity for high quality learning, through the effective use of a variety of media. The University, which was founded in 1983, now enrolls approximately 41,000 students. Since its first graduating class in April 1989, the university has graduated more than 2,654 persons.

In order to provide access to its educational programs for people living in areas which cannot be reached by broadcasting, the University set up video learning centers. By 1991 10 regions were covered by these centers (Hokkaido, Miyagi, Ishikawa, Gifu, Osaka, Hiroshima, Kagawa, Fukuoka, Kumamoto and Okinawa). In 1992 four more regions were added (Toyama, Shizuoka, Aichi and Nagasaki). All of these regions are outside of its broadcasting range. It is anticipated that the University of the Air will better meet the needs of the people for lifelong learning through cooperation with other facilities for lifelong learning and existing institutions of higher education, thus its nationwide expansion has become an important task.

Since 1992, investigative studies have been conducted on fundamental management issues facing the University in the future including the task of going nationwide through the employment of satellite broadcasting.

"Credit-system upper secondary schools" are a new type of school introduced in 1988. Their purpose is to make opportunities for upper secondary education available to anyone at anytime. In these schools students can learn different subjects and acquire credits in a more flexible time schedule. Unlike traditional upper secondary schools, these schools have no "fixed grade level system" under which students are expected to move up to a higher grade once every year. These schools are charged with meeting the diverse needs of lifelong learning programs. As of 1992, there were 31 public "credit-system upper secondary schools," in 22 prefectures and five private ones in four prefectures.

A system for special training schools, was established in 1976, an these schools have experienced continual annual growth both in the numbers of schools and students, with 3,408 schools and about 860 thousand students as of May 1992.

Hereafter, both special training schools and miscellaneous schools will be expected to develop as institutions for practical vocational education and specialized technical and technological education in accordance with societal changes. It is also hoped that these schools will expand their role in lifelong learning in accordance with the needs of their students and diversify their curricular offerings, implementing new study methods for the general public and working adults.