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Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > JAPANESE GOVERMENT POLICICIES IN EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND CULTURE 1994 > PART I Chapter 4 2 1

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PART I New Directions in School Education
Chapter 4. Toward Career Guidance as Guidance for Life
Section 2. Ending Dependence on Commercially Produced Tests
1. Ending Dependence


The problems surrounding career guidance based on standard score are manifested most obviously in commercially produced tests. The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture has decided to give special priority to this issue. That decision was prompted by the introduction in April 1994 of the new Courses of Study, which are designed to promote education based on respect for the individual and to foster willingness to learn and the ability to cope positively with social change. It was also prompted by the start of work on reform of upper secondary education following the report of the Central Council for Education.

A variety of adverse effects have been attributed to commercially produced tests. In a notice issued in February 1993 the Ministry sought to ensure the implementation of the following matters throughout Japan.


Regarding career guidance in lower secondary schools:
1. Career guidance should be a comprehensive process based on the abilities, aptitudes, interests, and concerns of students as manifested in day-to-day scholastic performance and other activities. It should not be based on standard score in commercially produced tests.
2. In particular, students should not be dissuaded from taking entrance examinations for the schools of their choice on the basis of standard score in commercially produced tests regardless of their characteristics and wishes.

Regarding elimination of the use of commercially produced tests from the selection of entrants to upper secondary schools:
3. Schools must not select entrants on the basis of results of commercially produced tests.
4. Beginning with the selection of entrants to upper secondary schools, lower secondary schools must not supply students' scores in commercially produced tests to upper secondary schools. Upper secondary schools must not approach lower secondary schools to obtain scores of commercially produced tests or tests administered by juku.
5. Lower secondary schools should strictly avoid involvement in the implementation of commercially produced tests.
6. Tests administered by incorporated nonprofit organizations or principals' associations should not be used as alternatives to commercially produced tests.

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