1. Japanese Education System
Ibaraki jet programme orientation

3. Compulsory Education Called “Gimu Kyoiku” (ぎむきょういく、義務教育)
1st grade of elementary school – 3rd grade of junior high school　(9 years total)
Ran by local municipalities’ BOEs
Kyoiku Iinkai (きょういくいいんかい、教育委員会)
Overseen by the Compulsory Education Department at the Prefectural Board of Education
Education including:
Japanese, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, English, Arts (including music), Heath and PE, Home Economics, Information, and Character Education
No cost for Public Schools

4. Elementary Schools shougakkou, しょうがっこう、小学校
Grades 1 – 6
Students enter the year they turn 7
(April-March school year)
Split into Private and Public
Private : 206
Public: 22,197
No school uniforms at public
Class times can range between
30 and 45 minutes
English education is focused on communication, not grammar
About 7,000,000 students nationwide

5. Junior High Schools ※Lower Secondary Schools chuugakkou, ちゅうがっこう、中学校
Grades 1 – 3
Most school have uniforms
English education becomes more focused on grammar
All education becomes more focused on high school entrance exams (Juken, じゅけん、受験)
Students can join after school club activities (split into “culture” and “sport”)
Most classes are 50 mins.
About 4,000,000 students nationwide

7. Senior High Schools ※Upper Secondary Schools koutougakkou, こうとうがっこう、高等学校
Grades 1 – 3
Not compulsory
Public schools are run by the Prefectural BOE (Koukou Kyouiku ka, こうこうきょういくか、 高校教育課)
Most schools have uniforms
Classes are divided into “Science” and “Culture”
Each focuses on different areas of study
Students quit club activities during 3rd year in order to focus on university entrance exams (Also called Juken, 受験)

9. Secondary Schools chuutoukyouikugakkou, ちゅうとうきょういくがっこう、中等教育学校
Grades 1 – 6
Integrates junior and senior high school
Eliminates the stress of SHS entrance exams
Students can participate in same club for 5 years
Currently 4 secondary schools in Ibaraki
Namiki Secondary School
Koga Secondary School (Sowa SHS)
2 Private

11. Special Needs Education tokubetsushiengakkou,とくべつしえんがっこう、特別支援学校
Covers all grades from Kindergarten to SHS
Broken into 3 main categories: schools for the blind, schools for the deaf, and schools for the handicap
“handicap” includes those with physical impairments, mental impairments, and illness
Not all special needs students are mentally impaired
Require different approaches to teaching
Be mindful of your own health!!
Students with immune deficiencies

12. Cramming VS Yutori Education
“Cramming” Education (Tsumekomi Kyouiku)
Widely used until 1995
6 day weeks
Studying and memorization > character building and free thinking
Yutori Education (Yutori Kyouiku)
Focused on allowing more freedom in the classroom
5 day weeks (in public schools)
More emphasis on arts and clubs
Falls in test scores (particularly mathematics and sciences) More pressure on parents/ teachers (Juku, etc.)
: moving back towards “Cramming” Education Japanese Government still trying to find balance between both.