A Closer Look on Japan and

America’s Educational System

By
Ms. Echevria, K.
Ms. Aclao, G.
Trademarks
Educational
System
REFERENCES
www.nier.go.jp/EduactionInJapan

www.members.tripod.com
References
www.sitemaker.umich.edu/arunStructural_difference
s

www.japan-guide.com/e/e2150.html

www.tokyo-icc.jp/guide_eng/educ/01.htm

http://www.aba.ne.jp/~sugita/71e.htm
LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. To have an overview on Japan’s Educational

System.
Learning Objectives
1. To have knowledge on what kind of Educational
System Japan has as one of the top performing
countries in education.

2. To grasp idea as to what differences exist between

Japanese and Philippine Educational Systems
Topic Outline

1. Japan
1a. Trademarks

2. Eduactional System

Topic Outline
2a. Kindergarten
2b. Elementary
2c. Lower Secondary School
*Curriculum
*Facilities
*Admin/Staff
*Classroom Management
*School Calendar
*Daily Schedule
2d. Upper Secondary School
2e. University
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF JAPAN

Kindergarten

Kindergarten
- usually starts at 3
- not compulsory, having only 60% enrollment rate
- play, singing songs, observation, hearing
and speaking, handicrafts
- Emphasis on being independent and
necessary life habits
- Teachers considered as developed in
understanding children’s world
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF JAPAN

6334
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF JAPAN

Table of Year and

Grade System

-comprises 24 million students from Kindergarten-University.

EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF JAPAN

Elementary-compulsory for children aged 6-12

-99.35% public and only .65% private
--enrollment rate is 99%
-considered as the first step of the
child into society
Elementary
-provide children aged 6-12 w/ elementary general educatio
suited to the appropriate stage of their mental and physical
development.
-children are not held back if they do poorly and the other
way around
-parent-teacher communication
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF JAPAN

*Curriculum- designed and created by Monbusho or the

Ministry of Education (MEXT)

*Subjects- include Japanese Language, Social Studies,

Science, Art, Music, Home Economics, Physical
Education
Curriculum
*Facilities- buildings are plain but functional.
-excellent educational facilities, including libraries, music
rooms, art rooms, gymnasia, and playgrounds, swimming
pools,Science rooms are similarly well equipped.
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF JAPAN
*Admin/Staff
Teachers- 60% of teachers are women
- teaches a different grade level each year
-doesn’t reprimand students much but guides the class
in correcting each others behavior
Admin/staff
-supervise the lives of students outside school
-requires license (Bachelor’s Degree 4 yrs, pass
Prefectural Education and Licensure Exam)
- distributed among prefectures every few years
A newly employed unmarried 23-year-old teacher with no
dependents:

2.5-2.9 million yen ($15,600-$18,100) 670,800.00-774,000.00 vs

222,588.00
A 40-year-old head teacher with a spouse and two children:

5.3-5.8 million yen ($33,100-$36,200)

A 55-year-old principal with a spouse and no dependent

children:
7.8-8.7 million yen ($48,800-$54,400)
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF JAPAN

Head Teachers- helps new or weaker techers improve teaching

skills, instruction or classroom management
-assigned in sending weekly/monthly newsletters to
parents

Principals-98% of Principals are men

-responsible for all school activities
-represents the school in PTA and outside groups
-school symbol and expectation
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF JAPAN

*Classroom Mangement- 38-45 students

Classroom management
-extensive training from the first day of the child’s school
career in the routines and rituals that make up the school day
-teachers teaches students that they are responsible for their
behavior
-students are taught to take pride in conducting themselves in
an orderly and efficient manner
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF JAPAN

*School calendar

-classes normally start in April and ends in March

of the following year
School calendar
-fieldtrips happen in May (Spring)
-Annual Sports in September (Autumn)
-Three long vacations
*Summer break (late July-late August)
*Winter break (late December-early January)
*Spring break (late Feb-early April)
-Graduation in March-less significant
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF JAPAN

*Daily Schedule

Daily schedule
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF JAPAN

Lower
Lower Secondary Education
Secondary
Education
-part of the compulsory stage in Japanese Education
-students aged 12-15
-purpose is to provide general education corresponding to
students’ mental and physical development on the basis of
their primary education
-teachers assigned to one subject only(2/3 are men)
-additional subjects like English Language, Moral Education
and Religion (Private)
-no breaks in between classes(classes 50 mins. Long)
-Graduates of lower secondary schools are entitled to
advance to schools of upper secondary education
colleges (with certificate)
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF JAPAN

Upper Secondary High School

-not compulsory
-students aged 15-18
Upper Secondary
-purpose is to provide higher general education and
specialized education according to students’ mental and

Education 1
physical development on the foundation of the lower
secondary education.

three categories: (1) Academic (41-45) (2) specialized (26-30),

and
(3) integrated (over 120)
(1)Academic courses provide mainly general education suited to
the needs of both those who wish to advance to higher
education and those who are going to get a job but have
chosen no specific vocational area.
(2) Specialized courses are mainly intended to provide
vocational or other specialized education for those students who
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF JAPAN

Ex. agriculture, industry, commerce, fishery, home economics,

nursing, science-mathematics, physical education, music, art,
English language and other courses.

(3) Integrated courses were introduced in 1994. These

Upper 2ndary 2
courses offer a wide variety of subject areas and subjects from
both the general and the specialized courses, in order to
adequately satisfy students' diverse interests, abilities and
aptitudes, future career plans, etc.
-encourages self-motivated learning and enables
students to experience the joy of learning and a sense of
achievement. Study under the integrated course is also seen
as a way of helping students to develop their individuality and
gain the willingness and ability to approach tasks and issues
independently and actively and of fostering the motivation to
learn.
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF JAPAN

Higher Education

Junior College-ages 18-22

-must take NAT and the school exam itself
(ronin)
University
-81% private universities
-women who wants to pursue courses
stress home
economics, nursing, teaching, humanities
and social science

Graduate School-ages 22-24

-only 7% gets Masters

Doctorate Level-ages 24-28

-students take humanities and medical programs
-Medical, Veterinary, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF JAPAN
Synthesis

Why is Japan successful in the field of education? It’s mainly because they
standardized and demanding curriculum, teaching approaches that encourages stu
Engagement, they give importance on school-home communication, long schooling
And additional schooling, teacher quality, carefully targetted financial resources, an
focus on equity.

Topic Outline
As future teachers, we need to educate ourselves in a way that we can be c
Global Teachers. With wide-range of knowledge that is not based only locally but
internationally and worldwide. Have you come across an experienced teacher with v
Personal experience on different cultures and knowledge? Such a model. And very
influencing.

If we were able to come up with different features with Japan and Philippine
Educational system, inspiration may come to our mind on how to be globally comp
ourselves and for our future students as well.