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Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > JAPANESE GOVERMENT POLICICIES IN EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND CULTURE 1994 > PART I Chapter 1 Section 3 1

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PART I New Directions in School Education
Chapter 1. Education that Values the Individual
Section 3. Education Based on Respect for the Individual
1. Implementing the New Courses of Study



(1) The Principles of the New Courses of Study

The aim of school education must be to foster the healthy development of each individual. Courses of Study for schools and the Course of Study for Kindergartens have been formulated as curriculum standards that ensure the actual achievement of this ideal in schools throughout Japan and ensure that specific levels of education are attained. All schools in Japan base their educational activities on the Courses of Study for schools or the Course of Study for Kindergartens.

The Courses of Study for schools and the Course of Study for Kindergartens were revised in 1989. The new Course of Study for Kindergartens was implemented in fiscal 1990, followed by the Course of Study for Elementary Schools in fiscal 1992 and the Course of Study for Lower Secondary Schools in fiscal 1993. The Course of Study for Upper Secondary Schools is being implemented in successive school years, starting in fiscal 1994.

The basic philosophy behind the new Courses of Study is the promotion of education based on respect for the individual. Specifically, the content, class hours, and other aspects of courses are being improved in line with the following four policies.

1.

Fostering richness of spirit: The aim of all educational activities will be to foster richness of spirit and contribute to the development of human beings who can live with vigor and courage, in accordance with children's stage of development and the characteristics of individual subjects.
2.

Emphasis on the basics and promotion of education that encourages individuality: Priority will be given to basic aspects that are regarded as essential for future citizens, and education will be enhanced to give full scope to individuality. In addition, consistency in the curriculum for each subject area among different school levels, from kindergarten through upper secondary school, should be ensured.
3.

Fostering self-education ability: Priority will be given to developing the ability to cope positively with social change and to creating a foundation for creativity. Efforts will also be made to develop increased willingness to learn independently.
4.

Respect for culture and traditions and promotion of international understanding: Priority will be given to fostering respect for Japanese culture and traditions. In addition, efforts will be made to increase understanding of the cultures and histories of other countries in order to foster qualities that will enable Japanese to live successfully in the international community. In accordance with these goals, the content of school education will be improved in such areas as the following:

Establishment of a new subject, "life environmental studies," for children in the lower grades of elementary school
Improvement of history education
Restructuring of upper secondary school "social studies" into "geography and history" and "civics."
Provision of "home economics" as a compulsory subject for both boys and girls at the upper secondary school level
Expansion of the range of elective subjects in lower and upper secondary schools
Improvement of foreign language education
Enhancement of oral/aural skills in Japanese language (speaking and hearing)
Enhancement of guidance on how and what to read and active utilization of school libraries
Enhancement of moral education, including prioritizing teaching content according to children's stage of development
Enhancement of education concerning the national flag and the national anthem Individual schools are working to implement the aims of the Courses of Study by striving to foster willingness to learn independently and the ability to cope positively with social change. They are also working to provide thorough instruction in basic teaching content and to enhance education in order to give full scope to individuality.


(2) Promoting Education Based on a New Concept of Scholastic Ability

The aims of the new Courses of Study are to enable children to achieve balanced development and to equip them to cope positively with social change. To implement this new approach to education, it is necessary to clarify the types of qualities and abilities that are being targeted by education and to enhance teaching and learning.

As already discussed, this implies that in the future education will need to focus on the development of qualities and skills that will enable individuals to identify problems for themselves, to think independently, to make independent judgments, and to articulate and solve problems more effectively. Providing this type of education necessitates an approach based on a concept of scholastic ability that encourages children to learn and emphasizes such aspects of scholastic ability as willingness to learn independently and the ability to think, judge, and express oneself.

The aim of education under this new concept of scholastic ability is to change the fundamental direction of school education, which currently tends toward the delivery of large quantities of knowledge and skills as a one-way process from teacher to student. The new approach instead emphasizes the development of abilities that enable children to think and judge independently and act for themselves. It is also designed to provide appropriate support for independent learning activities by individual children in order to enhance their strengths and potential.

To realize the goals of education based on the new concept of scholastic ability, it is necessary to modify the ways in which both educators and the general public think about education and evaluate children. A major reform of attitudes is required. Those involved in education have an important role to play in spreading the new concept of scholastic ability among children, their parents, and society at large. From this perspective, too, it is vital that those involved in education work actively to promote education based on this new concept.


(3) Promoting Innovative Teaching Methods and Improved Educational Conditions to Ensure the Success of the New Approach to Education

To enhance school education in ways that emphasize respect for the individual, including the development of an approach to education that fulfills the goals of the new Courses of Study, it is necessary to enhance the human and physical conditions of school education. Improvement plans on teaching staff deployment are being implemented to improve teaching methods in public elementary and lower secondary schools, such as the use of team teaching; to reduce class size to 40 students or fewer in upper secondary schools; and to diversify upper secondary education. Efforts to improve physical conditions include the development of school facilities needed for educational programs and measures to foster the individual abilities of children, such as the provision of multipurpose spaces for use in various educational activities, the provision of educational computers, and the improvement of school libraries.

In addition to these efforts to improve human and physical conditions, it is necessary to carry out an ongoing review of the role of school education itself and to work continuously to achieve improvement.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture is implementing various measures in these areas. Among its most important priorities are the introduction of the five-day school week, the reform of upper secondary education, and the improvement of career guidance, all of which are discussed in part 1. In the area of primary and secondary education, the Ministry is implementing various measures in line with its basic philosophy of promoting education that values the individual. These efforts are discussed in part 2, chapter 3.


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