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Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > JAPANESE GOVERMENT POLICIES IN EDUCATION, SCIENCE, SPORTS AND CULTURE 1995 > Special Report 1 (4)

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Special Report. The Response of the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture to the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake
1. The Extent of Damage and Emergency Measures in the Immediate Aftermath
(4) Measures Concerning Entrance Examinations, Graduation, and Employmant


The earthquake occurred at a time when students were preparing for entrance examinations, graduation, and employment. Facilitation of these processes became an important priority. The following emergency measures were implemented.

1. Facilitation of university entrance examinations

:Universities were asked to make special provision for examination candidates in the disaster area, including the handling of examination-related mail. Approximately 570 universities and other institutions of higher education extended their application deadlines, while approximately 40 universities and other institutions in the disaster area changed their examination dates and provided additional examination sites. All 143 national and local public universities and approximately 60 private universities and other institutions administered special entrance examinations (repeat examinations and so on) in March or later for students in the disaster area. Examination candidates were informed of these changes to entrance examination schedules through the HEART System of the NCUEE via the NTT CAPTAIN communications network, through special telephone lines set up for people in the disaster area, and through the cooperation of media organizations.

The National Olympic Memorial Youth Center, the Japan Mutual Aid Association of Public School Teachers, the Mutual Aid Association of Private School Personnel, and the MESSC Mutual Aid Association made their accommodation facilities available free of charge to examination candidates from the disaster area. Various organizations were also asked to provide study areas. Libraries, lecture rooms, and other facilities were made available by 11 national universities and a number of prefectural upper secondary schools in Hyogo Prefecture. University students and other people throughout Japan donated approximately 52,000 reference books and 33,000 stationery items.

2. Facilitation of upper secondary school entrance examinations

:The Hyogo Prefectural Board of Education implemented a number of measures in relation to entrance examinations for local public upper secondary schools, including the extension of application deadlines, special provisions concerning the submission of documents and the provision of examination sites, and the arrangement of special opportunities to take examinations. Private upper secondary schools also took special steps, including changes to examination schedules and entrant selection methods.

It was anticipated that some children would leave the disaster area and take entrance examinations of upper secondary schools in other areas. Prefectural boards of education throughout Japan were requested to respond flexibly with regard to such matters as deadlines for applications and the submission of other documents. They were also asked to give special consideration to children affected by the earthquake, including the provision of special opportunities to take examinations and the admission of students in excess of the usual quotas.

3. Measures concerning graduation certification and employment of prospective graduates

:Universities, boards of education, and other organizations were requested to exercise flexibility with regard to graduation, credit certification, and so on, to ensure that there would be no hindrance to the study, advancement, or employment of students affected by the disaster. Many companies in the disaster area suffered damage and other problems. As a consequence, some informal employment commitments were canceled. To prevent obstacles to students' employment after graduation, MESSC requested business organizations, boards of education, and other organizations not to cancel informal job offers to graduates and to ensure the smooth placement of both students who had already been given informal employment commitments and those who had not yet received such commitments. The relevant government ministries and agencies were also requested to take steps to prevent the cancellation of informal employment commitments.

In addition, on February 8 the Discussion Group on Employment Problems, an informal council of university-related groups and other organizations, was convened to discuss employment problems. Participants agreed that the efforts of universities and other institutions should be coordinated and that cooperation should include the provision of employment information to multiple universities and other institutions. On the basis of this agreement universities and other institutions were requested to coordinate their efforts and cooperate in making employment information available to universities and other institutions affected by the disaster.


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