Press Releases

• Basic Policies for Economic and Fiscal Management and Structural Reform 2002 (extract)
  (June 25, 2002)

July 12, 2002

Developing a strategic plan to cultivate "Japanese with English abilities"
-Plan to boost English and Japanese abilities-

Strategic plan attainment targets		Issues fo...........r investigation
English-language abilities demanded of all Japanese nationals --> attainment targets to be established for junior high and senior high schools   On graduation from junior high school: Ability to hold simple conversations (and a similar level of reading and writing) comprising greetings and responses (English-language ability of graduates should be the third level of the STEP (Eiken) test, on average).   On graduation from senior high school: Ability to hold normal conversations (and a similar level of reading and writing) on everyday topics (English-language ability of graduates should be the second level or semi-second level of the STEP test, on average).   English-language abilities demanded of those active in the international community --> attainment targets to be established by individual universities with a view to cultivating human resources capable of using English in the work place.		[Organization of a group to conduct research on English education]: the aim is to issue definite proposals within 1 year. (1) Conduct research to provide support for the target-level English-language abilities required at each school stage. (2) Conduct research into the relevancy of adopting external examination results as indices for the required English-language skills. (3) Conduct research into approaches for utilizing the results of external examinations in entrance examinations, etc.
Key policy issues	Important policies and their objectives
I. Boosting motivation of learners (1) Increasing opportunities to use English	Strengthen cooperation, etc., with private-sector English-language education facilities to promote unified English-language education in schools and regional communities.   [Promoting contact with foreigners]: Promotion of English conversation salons and speech contests as well as exchange activities with foreign students centering on schools, etc. (subsidies to be provided to local authorities).   [Measures to promote overseas study among high school students]: Expanding opportunities for overseas study for high school students ( a target of 10 thousand high-school students studying overseas per year, including privately funded exchange students). Participation in short-term international exchanges is also to be promoted.   [Measures to promote overseas study among university students, etc.]: Enhancing overseas study assistance (scholarship programs) for students wishing to study abroad.
(2) Improving entrance examinations, etc.	[High school entrance examinations]: Promoting the use of the results of external examinations in entrance examinations.   [University entrance examinations]: (1) Introduction of a listening test into the University Entrance Central Examination (implementation targeted for the fiscal year 2006). (2) Improving/enhancing the foreign language examinations of individual universities. (3) Promoting the use of the results of external examinations in entrance examinations.   [Corporate recruitment tests]: Urge corporations to attach importance to individuals with English abilities. MEXT will attach importance to English abilities when recruiting, promoting, etc., its employees.
II. Improving educational content, etc.	[Junior high schools / high schools]   Promote the new Course of Study (--> targeting the comprehensive integration of the 4 skills, emphasizing basic practical communication abilities).   Within junior high and high schools, implement guidance responsive to individual needs such as elective subjects suited to the levels of students' enthusiasm/proficiency and supplementary lessons, etc.   [Super English High Schools]: Implement practical research into progressive English education in high schools, etc. (proposed total of 100 schools in 3 years).   [Survey on the state of the  implementation of improvements to foreign language education]: Conduct survey on the present situation, such as small-group teaching and streaming students according to proficiency levels, and progressive teaching methods. Survey results are to be published and used as standards to measure the progress of related policies and measures.    [Collection of examples of progressive teaching methods relating to foreign language learning]: The Curriculum Research Center is to collect examples of progressive teaching methods relating to foreign language education based on the results of the above survey. [Universities]   Focus support on universities that are developing/implementing exceptional English education curriculums, and particularly on universities (or faculties) where all subjects are taught in English.   [Promoting participation in special courses taught in English]: Japanese students are to be encouraged to participate in the special courses taught in English that are provided for foreign students.	(4) Conduct research on English education and compile fundamental data. (5) Conduct research into a unified system of English education through each school stage. (6) Conduct research into a model for English education at universities.
III. Improving the qualifications of English instructors and upgrading the teaching system (1) Improving the qualifications of English instructors	Domestic training (Institute for Educational Leadership in the Teaching of English): 2,000 teachers per year (4 weeks) Overseas training: 118 people short-term, 28 people long-term   Establishing targets: Targets for the expected English-language abilities of English teachers to be established (equivalent to STEP semi-first level; TOEFL 550 points; TOEIC 730 points). (1) Urge education boards to make possession of the target-level English-language abilities one of the prerequisites when hiring English teachers. (2) Urge the consideration of teachers' English-language abilities in teacher assessments.   Training: [Plan for training to improve qualifications of English teachers]: (1) Intensive training for all 60 thousand English teachers in junior high and senior high schools is to be carried out under a five-year plan to be implemented from the fiscal year 2003 (subsidies to be provided to prefectural governments). (2) Support to be extended to English teachers hoping to undertake training overseas for more than 1 year utilizing the sabbatical system for graduate study (annual total of 100 people; 2 per prefecture).	(7) Conduct research to provide support for the required English ability targets for English teachers. (8) Conduct research into efficient English teaching methods and the creation of effective teacher training programs.
(2) Upgrading the teaching system	Placement of ALTs (5,583 hired through the JET program, 2,784 hired independently by regional authorities (total for 2001/2002: approx. 8,400))   Establishing targets: Aim is for junior-high and senior-high students to have native speaker(s) participating in more than one English class per week.  Promotion of the placement of the necessary numbers of ALTs to meet this target (nationwide target: 11,500 ALTs).   Effective utilization of ALTs under the JET program: Promote the enhanced utilization of ALTs through using ALTs in education to promote international understanding and in foreign language activities at elementary schools, and employing ALTs as special part-time instructors, etc.   Promote hiring of native English speakers as regular teachers: In order to attain the above-cited targets, as an additional measure, 300 foreign instructors are to be appointed as regular teachers in junior high schools over the next 3 years, with a goal of appointing 1,000 foreign instructors in junior high and senior high schools in the future.   Promote the utilization of human resources with fluent English-language abilities living in the local communitiy: Promote the utilization of members of society who possess English-language abilities above a certain level in English education activities through such measures as the Gakko Ikiiki Plan (a plan to invigorate secondary schools) and the special part-time instructor system.
IV. Enhancing English conversation activities in elementary schools	[Measures to support English conversation activities in elementary schools]: In connection with English conversation activities, which are carried out in the Period for Integrated Study, support is to be extended so that teaching can be conducted by foreign instructors, fluent English speakers, or junior high school teachers in one third of such sessions.	[Organization of a research committee to discuss English education in elementary schools]: the aim is to issue definite proposals within 3 years. (1) Ascertain and analyze the current situation of English conversation activities in elementary schools. (2) Toward the debate on the revision of the next Course of Study, in considering the future of English education at elementary school, arrange necessary research and data, etc. and consider problem areas.
V.   Boosting Japanese-language ability Cultivate Japanese-language abilities for appropriate expression and accurate comprehension.	Promote the new Course of Study (--> cultivate self-expression and comprehension abilities, and improve students' ability to communicate with each other).   Implement guidance responsive to individual needs such as supplementary lessons suited to the levels of students' enthusiasm/proficiency.   Promote reading activities among children: Cultivate enjoyment and the habit of a reading among children through morning reading sessions [Asa no dokusho].   [Japanese-language abilities required for the  future]: The Cultural Advisory Board is to issue its report on [Japanese-language abilities required for the future] within this fiscal year.   [Improving the instruction abilities of teachers]: Training is to be implemented for elementary school teachers, etc. to improve their knowledge and command of Japanese.   [Promoting improvements in Japanese-language education]: Model regions are to be designated with the aim of producing all-round improvement in the Japanese-language abilities of school-age children.

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