Japanese Education System

The Japanese education system is different & ideal as it emphasizes building a base for their responsibilities & ensuring that children are capable of cleaning, caring & being polite. You must be aware that children in Japanese schools clean their classrooms, cafeterias & even toilets. 

A great thinker, Clarence Thomas said - 

"Good manners will open doors that the best education cannot"

Japanese people believe in practical knowledge by giving children a chance to exhibit manners. In Japanese schools, the most common scenario is children having their meal together. This makes them learn table manners, sharing of food, eating healthy food.

In this blog, we are going to give you a brief introduction to the Japanese education system. 

Nursery- 0-5 years 

保育園 - Houikuen

The number of children going to nursery school is high in Japan since both parents are working. Though it is not compulsory to go to nursery, it is common in Japan. 

Kindergarten - 4-5 years

幼稚園 - Youchien

Kindergarten is also not a mandatory schooling system in Japan.

Children who are 4-5 years old go to kindergarten. A child learns many activities & social skills during this phase. They make students write essays on various topics and read aloud in front of the class to overcome stage fear.

Elementary / Primary school - 6 years-12 years 

小学校 - Shougakkou

In Japan, for elementary school students, the school does not conduct examinations till 4th Grade. They consider that at this age, children should establish good manners & develop a personality first instead of testing their knowledge through exams. 

During this first period of schooling, children learn to respect people around them, animals, nature & so on. At a very young age, they also learn to be generous & empathetic. 

Japanese people appreciate the principle of Morals > Study.

Junior high school - 12 years -15 years

中学校 -Chuugakkou

In most junior schools in Japan, school uniforms are compulsory.

In Japan, there are many Government & Private schools. 

The fee structure varies from Government schools to Private schools. School subjects for junior high school are more or less the same as primary school, that includes, Mathematics, Japanese, English, Homemamaking, Arts, Social studies, Music and many more. 

High school - 15 years - 17 years 

高校 - Koukou

Students enter high school at the age of 15 years & study for three years. Compulsory subjects include Mathematics (Suugaku- 数学), Japanese

(Nihongo - 日本語), English (Eigo - 英語), Social studies 

(Shakaika - 社会科）

Other subjects that are incorporated during this phase of schooling are for the overall development & based on children's likes. 98% of students go to high school in Japan. 

College/University 

大学 - Daigaku

University students are known as  Daigakusei - 大学生 

The students of 18-21 years go to university. While being a part of the university, some students even do their part-time jobs (Arubaito).

A college education is not mandatory for all in Japan. Approximately 53.3% of students go to University. The fees for University are average 5.4 Lakh Yen

(Indian Rs- 3.5 Lakh) 

To lessen the burden of the educational fees, students in Japan can opt for Education loans & even Scholarships once they pass the entrance exam.

(Nyuugaku Shiken -入学試験)

 In Japanese schools, students also conduct cultural events, exhibitions, etc. Japanese people are keen to learn many new things, such as learning English, Hindi, or other languages, Yoga, and so on.