Weakness of Japanese Education

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The Japanese school system, following WWII, is based upon the push of General Douglas MacArthur to ‘democratize and demilitarize’ the nation. The new policy pushed for the eradication of the old system, especially in relation to the function of science and technology. Later, the focus was less on university building and more on setting up and maintaining the new education system. Thus, the creation of new knowledge was put on hold. In addition, money left the universities and more money was being used for those areas that were already in existence. This change left Japan’s education system with less than desirable traits. Furthermore, the need to rebuild Japan created conformity and a work ethic that placed the individual on hold (Cummings, 399-402).

The education system’s work ethic has been described by James Fallows as: “Pass with four, fail with five” (55). This explains how the Japanese education system overwhelms the students; if you want to pass the entrance exam you should sacrifice your sleeping time and work harder than the average people. Fallows says this quote makes sense when he see narrow-viewed Japanese students who are forced to study the majority of the day. It is said that admission to a prestigious university is the ticket to success in Japanese society. Therefore, almost all students who seek the success go to the cram school. Cram school is a place where students study after regular school hours that normally takes place from 8:30AM – 3:00PM. Most cram schools teach sophisticated materials not covered in the public schools. This material is geared at preparing the students for higher levels of education. Other cram schools are for students who have a hard time keeping up with regular school. Cram schoo...

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...akness, and lessons of Japanese education”.

Education Digest, 57(1991). 55, 56. EBSOCOhost. Online

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physical education. Thesis. University of Western Ontario. 1985.

Nordquist, GwenEllyn “Japanese education: No recipe for authentic learning”

Educational Leadership, 50(1993). 64. EBSCOhost. Online

Schiller, Diane Profita & Walberg, Herbert J. “The Learning Society”

Educational Leadership, 39(1982). 412. EBSCOhost. Online

Tsukada, Mamoru (2007). Rev of Japanese education and the cram school

business: functions, challenges and perspectives of the Juku Pacific Affairs

by Marie Hojlund Roesgaard. Pacific Affairs80, 2007: 111

Walsh, John “ U.S. Japan Study Aim is Education Reform.” Science 235. (1987) p.274,275 JSTOR. 11/6/10. Online

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