Sunday, January 10, 2010

Japanese Education


From 2010-01-08 Sannai-Maruyama Ruins

Aren't the cute? It was COLD, and they were all out for a walk.

I had thought pre-school was mandatory in Japan, but it isn't. Many do send their children to school at 3 -5; but they pay for this themselves.

School is mandatory starting at about six years old - they must attend for only nine years. At the end of this time, before finishing high school, each student must past a massive test. Families spend many dollars tutoring their children for this test. The pressure is immense. If a child passes the test, they are allowed to attend high school (grades 10 - 12).

High School is not free. The family must pay for their student to attend both public and private high schools. I've been told in Tokyo the private schools provide the better education. Up here, the public schools have a reputation for providing the better education. The fee is on a sliding scale with lower income families paying less to send their child to high school. 97% of students pass the test and move on to high school.

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

2 comments:

Paula said...

I think most countries in the world make you test into high school. And while most students may pass the tests, how high you score often determines WHICH high school you can get into, which can determine not only what colleges you can get into but what your future courses of study may be limited to. It bothers me that kids get tracked into particular futures so early on, because it is usually extremely hard or even impossible to change part way through.

Anonymous said...

And to think how foolish our children in the US can be in wasting their years in school. It is neat to see some students who turn around in their Jr/Sr year and even come back to earn credits.... Then they really go out to make something of themselves.

So glad your children get a good education via your home-schooling program. love/prayers/ --- Mom Tl