Japan Gives Its Students a Break

Millions of Japanese students will be able to take a break from study this Saturday, thanks to an education reform that aims to transform the "all work, no play" reputation of the country's state schools.

For decades, creativity and independence were sacrificed for a Gradgrind-like emphasis on long hours and rote-learning that enabled Japanese pupils to score among the highest marks in international tests of scholastic ability.

But a breakdown in discipline and a recognition that the new economy needs a different way of thinking have prompted a shift of approach from the current school year, beginning on April 1.

From this week, the academic curriculum has been slashed by 20 to 30%, students have been given more choice in selecting subjects, and weekend classes have been abolished. Until this month, students have had to go to school every other Saturday.

Taking Japan in the opposite direction from Britain, the move towards yutori (comfortable) education will cut the amount of class time for maths, science and languages by about 100 hours a year. Instead, pupils will be given more time for themselves in the hope that they will become more independent.

Accelerating the move from a one-pace-fits-all school structure, it will be easier for talented students to skip their final year of high school by entering university early. Grades will be decided not just by test scores, but by the willingness of pupils to take part in community service.

In terms of results, it is at first hard to see why Japan should want to change a system that provides high quality, free education to an advanced level. More than 95% of children are educated to the age of 18. In a recent study of 15-year-olds in 31 countries, Japan came top in maths and second in science. The percentage of students who claim to like school is also high, compared with most countries.

However, a protracted recession, rising truancy and a rash of murders by teenagers have prompted a re-evaluation of priorities.

"Our proposals were provided as an antithesis of the postwar education system, which focused too much on academic achievement," said Ryoichi Kawakami, a member of the panel that drew up the reform plans.

Many students and teachers welcome the change, but it is far from certain that it will achieve its aims. Because the entrance requirements for top universities are as high as ever, anxious parents are already moving their children to private schools, most of which hold Saturday classes. Others are spending more on evening and weekend cram schools.

"The reform is good, but it may backfire on public schools unless there are changes in private schools and university entrance exams," said Yuki Omae, a high school teacher in Osaka. "When parents calculate how much they will have to spend on cram schools to get their children to the standard required by universities, more and more will think that they might just as well pay for a private education."

The government has tried to address the fears of falling academic standards by introducing more homework, but students have other plans. Asked how they intended to use their free Saturdays, 48% of high school students said they would sleep.