PART II Recent Trends and Developments in Government Policies in Education, Science and Culture
Chapter 2. Preparing for a Lifelong Learning Society
Section 4. Evaluating Learning Achievements
3. Granting School Credits
In addition to direct evaluation by means of proficiency tests approved by the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, the granting of university credits is an important indirect means of evaluation for out-of-school learning achievements. Since the 1991 amendment of the Standards for the Establishment of Universities, universities have been able to grant credits for certain types of nonuniversity learning achievements. This means that students can obtain credits for studies at special training colleges or for success in proficiency tests approved by the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture. Some universities have begun to award credits for such achievements as grade-one passes in the Practical English Proficiency Test. This amendment also applies to junior colleges, colleges of technology, and upper secondary schools.
Universities that provide extension courses regard courses in advanced subjects as both extension courses and formal course work. By granting extension course participants who wish to gain credits the status of special register students, universities enable these people to receive credits. An increasing number of universities are establishing systems of this kind, and it is important that such mechanisms be used more widely in the future.
