Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > Japanese Government Policies in Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology 2001 >Chapter8 Section2.2

In many countries, the improvement of children's performance and the level of education standards as a whole have become major objectives of elementary and secondary education.

  In the U.S. and the U.K., there was no clearly defined standard for curriculum at the state or national level, and the excessive diversity was making it difficult to assure a common academic level. Against this backdrop, they have tried to standardize educational curriculum to improve children's performance in general. In the U.S., individual states started in the 1990s to establish educational standards, which set forth the criteria concerning teaching content and the achievement level for each subject (usually English, Mathematics, Social Science and Science). In the U.K., too, the National Curriculum was introduced for the first time in 1989. This set forth the levels to be achieved for the ten compulsory subjects (later two more subjects were added) by the end of one's compulsory education (11^th grade). Both countries are carrying out statewide or nationwide tests to measure the level of their achievements and publishing the results so that the standing of individual schools can be known.

  Other countries are trying to improve scholastic ability by diversifying educational content and teaching methods. In France, where repeating a year or dropping out has been traditionally common, it was said around 1990 that one out of four elementary school students repeated a year at least once. In order to improve the scholastic ability of these underachievers, the French government is trying to promote diverse and flexible education adapted to children's needs, by such means as introducing supplementary teaching hours, flexible class-unit time and strengthening one-to-one teaching.

  In Singapore, in order to improve scholastic ability in an effective manner, different courses are made available at an early stage and special courses are provided for gifted children.

  Japan and the Republic of Korea are striving to realize diversified and flexible education from the viewpoint of respecting individuals' personalities. For example, in the Republic of Korea, mathematics or English classes are formed not according to age but according to a student's level of achievement. For other subjects, students of the same age are able to take one of three different levels of curriculum, based on their proficiency. This reform was put in place as part of the new curriculum for the 2000 school year.

The National Curriculum for England, The Department of Education and Skills of the United Kingdom

In the U.S. and U.K., the school choice program was introduced in the 1980s with the objective of having schools compete in terms of school performance and allowing students and their parents to choose, based on school achievements, which school to attend. Although a school attendance area is set for each school and the local board of education assigns each student to a school in his or her area, the program still makes it possible for students to choose schools outside such a designated area. Some U.S. states allow students to choose a school outside their school district. In the U.K., schools are instructed to set caps for the number of students accepted at the largest possible level so that a maximum number of students can enter the schools of their choice.

  In France and Germany, it is generally not possible for a student to select the school he or she will attend.

In the operation and management of schools, many countries, including Japan, are showing a tendency to give more discretion to schools, to allow the participation of parents and local people in the operation of schools and to emphasize accountability for the results of schools' education and management.

  In this domain, the U.S. and the U.K. are again leading the way. In the U.S., some states and school districts are starting to allow School Based Management (SBM), which widens the scope of discretion in such areas as budgeting, hiring/firing teachers and curriculum design. In addition, charter schools, which offer education under independent management recognized by a contract between founders (parents, teachers, etc.) on the one hand and sponsors (states, school districts, etc.) on the other, are available to those students who are difficult to handle at existing public schools and are continuing to expand nationwide. As of 2000, there are only about 2,000 such schools, accounting for 2% of all schools in the U.S., but President Bush is supporting their expansion. In the U.K., too, Local Management of Schools (LMS) has been in place since the end of 1980s at all publicly-maintained schools. Under LMS, schools become almost entirely responsible for the hiring/firing of teachers, budgeting, etc. In both countries, parents and local people participate in the management of schools.

  Greater discretion for schools prompts them to become more inventive, but at the same time the discretion demands that schools become accountable for their results. Schools are audited and evaluated based on state and national achievement tests and other performances to see how well they have met the criteria set, such as in the curriculum. If they fail to produce results, they are considered "weak/failing schools" and the education authority issues guidance for improvement. If no improvements are made, a significant number of teachers may be replaced or even the school itself can be abolished. In the U.K., measures may include entrusting the school management to a private company.

  In Japan, the school council system has been introduced. In the Republic of Korea, a school management board was established for state and other public schools in 1996. This has allowed parents and local residents to participate in the deliberations of important matters concerning school management. Also, schools' powers have been strengthened so that each school can now, at its own discretion, choose its principal and part of its teaching staff.

While we enjoy rich civilization and lead comfortable and convenient lives, emotional degradation is manifesting itself in such forms as lowered social morals and increased crime, which in turn reflects on children's mind and is giving rise to their disorderly and violent behavior. This is a problem not only in Japan, but is shared by all advanced countries.

  The phenomenon is not limited to in-school problems such as an increase in school violence, bullying and non-attendance. Drug abuse, excessive sexual behavior and juvenile crime rates are on the rise as well. In this serious situation, there is more and more interest in education that fosters the sound emotional development of children.

  Needless to say, schools play different roles between countries in fostering children's personalities, morals and social abilities. For example, some countries do not permit religious education in schools. However, beyond such differences, there is an increasing expectation in many countries of the role for school education in the emotional growth of children and in the establishment of social codes and morals, and some are responding positively to these expectations.

  In the U.S., schools are actively incorporating volunteer activities into their programs, with some states and local authorities making volunteer activities one of the requirements for graduation. The U.K. and France are strengthening civics education to teach codes and knowledge that any member of society should have, with the U.K. incorporating it as an obligatory subject in the national curriculum in 2000. Civics is obligatory also in French elementary and lower secondary schools, but a policy has been announced to further develop this by making the subject obligatory in upper secondary schools as well. The U.K. and Germany teach religion as an obligatory subject.

  Asian countries such as China and the Republic of Korea have put a special emphasis on ethics education. They are further strengthening it against the backdrop of the necessity of national unity for the development of their countries and the worsening situation surrounding children. China is putting a special emphasis on the promotion of patriotic education, while the Republic of Korea is emphasizing participation in volunteer and other activities.