Do you know that the Japanese school system spoils Japanese
children? Today's Japanese school system stresses uniformity
and homogeneity. Because of that system, there are of course good
points, such as we are used to doing things together, therefore,
the negotiations can go smoothly, we can take a high standard of
education and union is strength. But there are also several bad
points for children. In this paper, I would like to focus on the
Japanese school system, its problems, and where we should change.
In order not to spoil Japanese children any more, we should
incorporate respect for personality into Japanese education.
Today's Japanese school system was established in World
War II. In the war the nation wanted to force all Japanese to act
and agree with Japanese principles. For that reason, the nation
established a school system which stressed uniformity and
homogeneity. The nation set a goal to force all Japanese people
to have the same way of thinking. Now World War II has finished
but the old style of education has continued. The Ministry of
Education closely supervises curriculum and textbooks, and
classes with much the same content are taught throughout the
country. As a result, a high standard of education has become
possible, but there is no humane education.
When you see students going to school, you will think that they
all have the same appearance. Because of very severe school
rules, all schools require their students to wear school
uniforms, cut their hair according to school rules, and campus
life is tied to school rules. There are many proofs to show
Japanese education makes quite the same people and disregards
their personalities. The teachers educate unilaterally so
students don't have a chance to hear other students'
opinions in class. Moreover, the students cannot say anything in
the middle of the class because they feel that the class
won't progress steadily. The teachers like a student who
doesn't disturb the class but obeys their own instruction.
Therefore, the students cannot develop their own opinions or
admit other students' personality differences. This situation
is not natural or good because we are different from one another
and in this world there are many kinds of people. We need to
respect and adapt to differences between each other.
Because of such group education, bullying and refusal to
attend school have become serious problems recently. First, that
we are the same is the basis of group education. Therefore, if
one student displays a difference, such as a physically
handicapped person, a person who often says something in the
middle of the class or a returnee child, he will be outstanding
and left out in the cold. Some students refuse to attend school
because of bullying. Second, the educational system is
standardizing. For that reason, some students are not suited or
cannot follow it and they refuse to attend school. Moreover,
stress is building up and some students bully others as a way of
relieving their stress. There is much evidence and signs that
show the Japanese education is bad. However, if we respect and
focus on the students' individuality, these kinds of problems
can be solved very easily.
In the school the teachers educate unilaterally and put too much
stress on the quantity of knowledge students must memorize. For
that reason, the students' points of view are biased and
everyone is forced to think and act in the same way. Mrs. Toshiko
Marks said, "It is dangerous that the students learn only
one textbook or idea by heart because they will be weak in
thinking by themselves and in compromising and cooperating to
lead to a good idea with a person who has a different idea."
When the children cannot absorb new knowledge, think many things,
or grow up mentally, they cannot have a chance to run up against
different ideas and know themselves. Finally they tend to lack a
spirit of independence and responsibility for themselves. What is
more, compulsory education in Japan is nine years: six in
elementary school and three in junior high. The three years in
high school is not required by compulsory education but the rate
of students advancing to high school is ninety-five percent. From
this rate we can understand that Japanese children don't have
any choices.
One reason that many students go to high school is that they
don't have a spirit of independence or their own opinion
thanks to the group education. For that reason, they simply tend
to go with the society and the times. Another reason is that the
parents who have a student refusing to go to high school are
ashamed because almost all children now go to high school. The
students refusing to go to high school are at a loss and regarded
as problem children. If there are many choices and the students
can admit differences, the students who are not suited or cannot
follow the Japanese education and who don't want to go to
high school will be saved and accepted for their character.
Some people say that today's children have no drive and have
lost their own dream. But it's just a normal thing because
the Japanese education pays no respect for personality but forces
the students to think and act the same way.
In short, we should incorporate respect for personality into
Japanese education instead of emphasizing group education. Today
Japan is becoming international. Many foreign countries embrace
individualism. In other words, individualism demands people to
respect personality and take responsibility for their own action.
But in Japanese schools children are forced to have the same
ideas and cannot pay respect for personality. Therefore, we have
to change the Japanese school system incorporating measures to
deal with the international community in the future. Today's
Japanese children lack individuality and look like dead people.
Now it is time to pull up our children out of a living hell!
by Yuko Nozaki
Works Cited
Marks, Toshiko. Hinzyaku na otoko to huwahuwa
shita ona no kuni Nihon. Tokyo: Soushisya, 1997.
