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PART lssues and Perspectives of Elementaryand Secondary Education

Classes are a unit of pupils' learning activities and life in schools. To maintain a proper class size and to secure necessary educational personnel for carrying out educational activities smoothly are of great importance in improving educational conditions.

Class size and fixed numbers of educational personnel have been improved four times since 1959. Extending these processes of improvement and in order to secure an educational environment suitable to individual traits and abilities of pupils, the Fifth Improvement Plan is in progress. The improvement plan covering a 12-year period from 1980 to 1991 includes the objective of realizing a class size of no more than 40 pupils. A plan to improve fixed numbers of educational personnel at public upper secondary schools is also under way.

Concerning the improvement of school facilities, qualitative enrichment is required in view of the needs to respond to the diversification of educational methodology and the demand for an educational environment in which pupils can develop humane attitudes. Based on these views, the Ministry has set up several subsidy systems ; for equipment of multipurpose classes (mu1ti-purpose space), for the improvement of outdoor educational environments and for development programs of facilities for residential group training and club rooms.