Education in Japan: interesting facts. Education system in Japan

The attitude of the Japanese to education differs from the habitual Russians exactly as much as the mentality of Japanese and Russian differs. At all stages of education, starting from the preschool period, education is considered as one of the priorities that will ensure a decent standard of living in the future. Going to study in Japan, our compatriot must be ready to accept the unusual rules of existence and try not to make a mistake with the choice of an educational institution.

Features and structure of the educational system in Japan

Traditions and modernity, closely intertwined in the entire way of life of the Japanese, are also reflected in the structure of the state's education system. The formation of the educational system in Japan followed the pattern of the American and Western European ones, but with the preservation of traditional national values.

The educational system in Japan consists of several stages.

Preschool education

As a rule, children begin to acquire knowledge and adapt to society from the age of 3 - it is at this age that a child enters kindergarten, which is the first stage of the educational system in Japan. If there are sufficiently good reasons, it is possible to arrange a child in a kindergarten from the age of three months, one of the reasons may be more than 4 hours of work for both parents. Pre-school education in the Land of the Rising Sun has significant differences from most Western programs and methods. The Japanese were among the first to talk about the importance of early development. Masaru Ibuka, the well-known director of the Talent Training organization and the founder of Sony, in his book “After Three It's Too Late” more than 50 years ago, argued that the foundations of personality are laid in the first three years of life. From the first days of being in a preschool institution, the child joins the collective pastime, in which manifestations of individualism are not welcome. One of the main tasks of education is teaching a child to feel like a member of a group, to show attention to other participants, to be able to listen to others and answer their questions, that is, to learn to experience empathy. Learning to count and write is not a primary task: it is generally believed that it is much more important to develop in a child such qualities as diligence in achieving goals, independence in decision-making, and curiosity about the world around. Kindergartens in Japan are both public and private.

The school stage is very important for Japanese children.

Level of secondary education

The beginning of April in Japan is marked by cherry blossoms and the start of the school year in schools where children from the age of 6 go. Secondary education in Japan, as in most countries around the world, is divided into three stages: elementary school for 6 years, middle school for 3 years and senior (also 3 years). The academic year consists of three trimesters:

• the first lasts from April 6 to July 20,
• the second one starts on September 1st and ends on December 26th,
• the third - from January 7 to March 25.

Free education is provided only in primary and secondary schools, high school is paid. Starting from secondary school, English and special subjects are necessarily introduced into the curriculum if the institution has any professional orientation or is tied to a particular university. In high school, increased emphasis is placed on the study of special subjects. An important fact: students in grades 7-12 take exams five times a year, which in Japanese schools are quite difficult and require a lot of time to prepare. The exam itself can take several hours. Outcomes tend to influence where a student goes on to study - at a prestigious school with a good chance of going to university, or at a school after which further education will be problematic. About 75% of secondary school graduates go on to higher education.

Once in Japan, I did not know either katakana or hiragana, after three months I could already easily communicate with the Japanese in Japanese. But from school, I took out not only excellent knowledge of the Japanese language and Japanese culture, but also a kind of upbringing. The school taught me to set goals for myself and struggling to achieve them .... and taught me to the community with the warm care of teachers.

Vladislav Krivorotko

http://yula.jp/ru/channel/graduate-ru/

Special and Inclusive Education in Japan

In addition to ordinary schools, there are so-called Juku schools in Japan - private educational institutions where students can take a special additional course to study the general education program for successful admission to higher educational institutions. In other words, such schools are a special form of tutoring, but in some cases, music, sports, and various types of traditional Japanese arts are also provided here.

The problems of children with disabilities in Japan are dealt with by a specially created National Association, in addition, there is a headquarters for reforms in the education system for such children. The headquarters is headed by the most influential persons of the state. Such an approach to solving the issues of inclusive education makes it possible to take measures at the legislative level to ensure equal rights guaranteed by the Constitution for everyone regarding the choice of place and method of education. In addition, it is possible to effectively monitor the observance of such rights.

In the process of learning, students take difficult exams, for which they prepare for a long time and hard

Higher education

In order to successfully find a job in the future, Japanese youth seeks to enter prestigious universities, among which the most popular are Tokyo and Kyoto universities, as well as universities in Osaka, Sapporo (Hokkaido), Sendai (Tohoku) and others. The structure of the educational process in Japanese higher education institutions is similar in organizational and administrative aspects to the system of higher education in Western Europe and the United States, but due to the peculiarities of the mentality and cultural traditions, it also has differences. University training is characterized by a high level of teaching. Both in private and public universities, tuition is paid and can range from 4 to 7 thousand US dollars per year. To obtain a bachelor's degree, students study for 4 years, a master's degree - another 2 years. In technical universities, training lasts 5 years, medical or veterinary education is obtained within 12 years. There is an accelerated course of study at universities, designed for two years - for teachers, sociologists, philologists, etc. The academic year is divided into two semesters: from April to September and from October to March. Living in a hostel will cost a student 600-800 dollars a month.

Not rich enough? There is a way out - a study grant!

The desire to get an education in Japan does not always coincide with the opportunities. The lack of the required amount of funds encourages the search for alternative ways to solve the problem. One of them is receiving a grant to study at one of the universities in Japan. Such a grant is annually provided by the Government of Japan represented by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Monbukagakusho.Mext) under the Student program. To participate in the competition for a grant, a candidate must meet certain requirements, including citizenship of a country that maintains diplomatic relations with Japan, age, as a rule, from 17 to 22 years old, complete secondary education. In addition, the applicant must be ready to actively study the language and culture of Japan, and not have problems with physical and mental health.

Learning is more intense than you can think of, and the language school is just one of the components of the process. We all study here every day: we find new friends, read books, flip through magazines, watch TV and listen to the radio. I consistently get my portion of new vocabulary from friends, from Japanese blogs and books. Not a day goes by that the vocabulary is not replenished by at least a couple of points.

Daria Pechorina

http://gaku.ru/students/1_year_in_japan.html

Guaranteed not to be able to participate in the program are persons who are members of the Armed Forces at the time of arrival in Japan, who did not arrive at the place by the time specified by the host university, who previously received a grant from the Japanese government, who are already studying in Japan, who have scholarships from other organizations, who have dual citizenship ( Japanese should be abandoned). To pass the selection, the candidate submits an application of the established form to the diplomatic mission of Japan and passes written tests in mathematics, English and Japanese, as well as in physics, chemistry and biology, depending on the specialization.

Grant in hand, what's next?

In case of successful selection, the future student is awarded a scholarship in the amount of 117 thousand yen; tuition fees, as well as the costs associated with entrance exams, are covered by the Japanese government. Before starting their studies, students take a preparatory course for one year, including intensive study of the Japanese language, introduction to the specialty and other disciplines. Education in Japanese universities is conducted only in Japanese. You can learn more about the procedure for submitting documents and selection conditions on the official website of the Japanese Embassy in Russia.

Video: student impressions after the first year of study at a Japanese university

In addition to government programs, there are many private and non-profit foundations that can provide scholarships to study in Japan, there are scholarships from the Japan International Education Association, the International Understanding program, the Ministry of Education for internship programs, etc. Another way to continue studying in Japan is to participate in student exchange program between partner universities. The requirements for applicants from the CIS countries differ little from Russian ones; details of participation in government programs can be clarified at the Japanese embassies in their countries.

Studying in Japan helped me not only gain academic knowledge of the Japanese language (Noryoku Shiken N3), but also broaden my horizons (here you learn something new every day), strengthen your patience and willpower (since self-study takes a lot of time), as well as meet wonderful people and make new friends.

Elena Korshunova

http://gaku.ru/blog/Elena/chego_ojidat_ot_obucheniya/

Housing, part-time work, visa and other nuances

Students (including Russians, Ukrainians, Kazakhstanis) can replenish the budget with the help of part-time jobs, which can work in cafes, restaurants, other institutions from the service sector, or by teaching the Russian language, for example. To obtain a job, you will need a permit certificate, which can be obtained at the immigration office after submitting a letter from the educational institution. Students in Japan are allowed to work no more than 4 hours a day. Many take advantage of this opportunity, despite the fact that the cost of education here is lower than in the most prestigious universities in the US, Europe and even Russia.

Video: Jobs in Japan for International Students

Finding housing can be problematic: despite the fact that universities provide foreign students with dorm rooms, there are not enough places for everyone, so many are forced to rent rooms in the private sector. The cost of living in rented housing can range from $500 to $800 per month.

A student visa is issued, as a rule, within 3-4 months, and the host university is the guarantor for its receipt. To obtain a visa you will need:

• a copy of the diploma or a certificate from the last place of study,
• Japanese language proficiency certificate
• certificate from the place of work of the parents,
• copy of birth certificate,
• a certificate from the bank on the presence of 14-15 thousand dollars in the account,
• international passport,
• 8 photos 3x4.

The entire package of documents must be translated into Japanese.

Table: advantages and disadvantages of studying in Japan

A young specialist with a diploma from a Japanese university in his hands has an incredibly high chance of getting a job in one of the most prestigious companies with a worldwide reputation due to the fact that the level of teaching in Japanese universities is one of the best in the world. The government and private companies do not spare investments in the development of science and education. All universities and colleges in Japan are equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories and highly professional teachers, so that the training provides deep theoretical knowledge and practical skills. In addition, in the course of their studies, students become familiar with such national qualities of the Japanese as incredible perseverance and discipline, which will not be superfluous in later life.

The education of children in Japan begins in preschool. Kindergartens were included in the education system after the Second World War. Prior to this, only wealthy families could send their child to a pre-school institution; kindergarten was not a compulsory stage of education.

Japanese children are sent to kindergarten from the age of three. In it, the child learns to communicate with peers, to be independent, develops abilities and skills in the field of music, modeling, drawing, mathematics and language.

Kindergarten plays an important role in a child's life and prepares them for adulthood. It is in the preschool institution that the basic principles of typical behavior are laid down: respect for the opinions of others, perseverance in one's work, perseverance.

School

School in Japan is divided into three levels: elementary, middle and senior. The academic year begins in the spring and is divided into several semesters. The first semester starts at the beginning of April and lasts until the end of July. Then there are summer holidays. The second semester starts on the first of September and lasts until the last week of December. The last semester starts after the New Year holidays. There are no exact dates for the start and end of vacations and semesters, because each school can start with a difference of several days.

Children are educated from 6 to 12 years old. The list of disciplines studied in different schools varies slightly. However, subjects such as Japanese, history, mathematics, natural history, physical education, art lessons are taught in all elementary schools.

In secondary school, children study from 12 to 15 years old. In addition to the subjects that children studied in elementary school, a foreign language is added. Also, students begin to study a number of other disciplines of their choice.

From secondary school, children begin to take exams after each semester in all subjects studied. Japanese schoolchildren spend a lot of time in the classroom, in their free time they attend courses and circles. The Japanese spend so much time and energy on education because a good education ensures a stable and well-paid job in the future.

High school in Japan is a preparation for entering the university. Children have their own training at 18 years of age. In addition to general education disciplines, high school students begin to study such subjects as medicine, agriculture, economics and others. At the end of school, Japanese graduates take a kind of exam.

Higher education

After school, graduates can enter either the university or colleges. At the same time, the chance to enter a prestigious university depends on the mental abilities of the student, as well as on the financial condition of the family.

At most universities in Japan, students first study for four years, then enter the master's program. The term of study in Japanese colleges is from two to five years. It is believed that studying at a university is easier than at school. The student is free to choose his subjects for study, he does not write any complex scientific papers.

Probably, many people have heard about the so-called advanced education system in Japan, but few people (except, perhaps, fans of Japanese cartoons and comics) imagine what it is. However, before talking about education, it is worth saying a few words about the mentality and traditions of the Japanese, because, according to the author of the article, it was they who made education in this country so unlike the European and Russian ones we are used to (although the American model of education was taken as a model in Japan). ).

industriousness

First, it is worth noting the industriousness of the Japanese. Unlike our country, where few people have always paid attention to diligence, in Japan it is put at the forefront. We can say that it is valued there much higher than intelligence, ingenuity, the ability to get out and other qualities useful to a person. It is worth saying that they are partly right, because without diligence there is no progress. However, Japanese industriousness is not aimed at development, but rather at the excellent performance of routine activities. Effort and desire to do the job as best and as quickly as possible - these are the qualities that are vital for the average Japanese worker. Many people in Japan stay at work until late at night (even office workers), often work causes the whole family to move several times a year (which, for example, is a bit unusual for Russia).

Secondly, free-thinking and disputes with superiors are categorically discouraged in Japan. Since the deepest Middle Ages, this country has retained an extremely respectful attitude towards superior people. Subordinates are obliged to unquestioningly obey and please their boss, to fulfill all orders with high quality and on time. This is another hallmark of a good worker.

Attitude towards education

The attitude to education in Japan is very reverent. Unlike our country, higher education there is the lot of a few, especially in areas such as medicine or information technology. Education fees are quite high, and parents rarely pay for their children's higher education. Therefore, after school, the Japanese immediately find a part-time job or go to their main job.

From the very kindergarten, underage Japanese are taught that the world is built on competition. Already when they enter elementary school at the age of 6 (grades 1-6 in terms of the Russian system that we understand), children become quite difficult exams. At the same time, many junior schools are already paid. The better and more prestigious the school, the more expensive the education and the more difficult the exams. In elementary school, emphasis is placed on learning the Japanese language (the average student must complete about 1850 hieroglyphs) and on adapting the child to the team. After graduating from elementary school, exams are taken for secondary school (grades 7-9). Primary and secondary education are compulsory, after graduating from high school, many students already find work and do not go to high schools. Those who managed to pass the exams and enter the high school (grades 10-12) have 3 more years of study and graduation. After graduating from high school, a Japanese person is eligible to apply to a university or college.

Learning process

All high schools and some middle schools are fee-paying. However, despite the costs, most parents tend to send their child to private schools, because education is better there, and prestige in the life of the Japanese plays a rather important role. Children studying in paid schools quickly realize that it is not profitable for them to stay for the second year. In addition, every six months, all students take mandatory exams in a test form and gain points for each subject. Exam results are posted on a common board in the form of a rating in descending order of points. Failing students go for a retake and stay for additional classes (including summer ones). If, after the retake, the student still does not manage to score acceptable points, he remains for the second year.

The educational process in Japanese schools is organized as a constant preparation for the next exams. As a result, children are constantly forced to memorize material that could be useful in tests. Creative and leisurely acquisition of knowledge in Japan is completely out of the question. Due to the frequent examinations, the popularity of additional courses to improve academic performance is growing. Their Japanese youth visits after school and club classes.

The school year for schoolchildren begins in April. Studying takes place in 3 trimesters, between trimesters there are summer (about a month) and winter (also about a month) holidays, which are cut down if the student needs to attend additional classes. The school week consists of 6 days - from Monday to Saturday. Lessons begin in the first shift - at 8 - 9 o'clock in the morning and continue until 3-4 o'clock in the afternoon. After the lessons, there are activities of clubs.

Japanese school clubs

It is worth telling more about Japanese school clubs. Unlike Russia, school club activities are highly encouraged and even funded by the government. The clubs themselves are created either by students (you need to apply, attract a certain number of members and find a teacher-curator), or teachers (most often this applies to sports sections). The focus of school clubs is very different - sports, cultural, interests. The main thing is the obvious benefit for students and the presence of interest on their part. Each club is allocated a certain amount of funds from the school budget. The distribution of funds is handled by the student council - an education consisting of students is chosen by student vote annually.

School life

School culture festivals are held every fall in Japanese schools.

The purpose of such festivals (in addition to entertainment for students and their parents) is to attract new students to the school. The class is given a certain amount of funds and space to implement an idea that is unique within the school, such as creating a cafe, a theater production, a house of horrors, and so on. Pupils are released from classes for several days and diligently prepare for the festival. As a rule, festivals last from one to three days, and quite a lot of visitors come to the school these days. Such a festival usually ends with traditional fireworks for Japan.

In addition to cultural festivals, each school holds sports festivals. At such festivals, each class competes with others in a number of disciplines, according to the results, a winning class is selected, which is awarded a small prize.

Schools in Japan are also interesting for their school trips. Every self-respecting school, with the onset of the warm season, takes its students on excursions to historical places. Such excursions last about 3 days, students travel by bus or plane and spend the night in a hotel.

School life in Japan is indeed quite an interesting time. Industriousness is encouraged in every possible way, conditions for collective activity and development are created, and interest in school events is stimulated. A sense of collectivism is also instilled here: group projects are encouraged. All conflicts that arise in schools in Japan are resolved by the students themselves, parents are involved only in extreme cases.

Higher education

Education in Japanese universities begins after high school, is strictly paid and lasts 4 years for a bachelor's degree and 6 years for a master's degree. Unlike schools, Japanese universities are built according to the European model. It is university education that is considered truly the highest among the Japanese.

For the first couple of years, all Japanese students study a number of general education subjects. They are mandatory, and every more or less prestigious and honored university emphasizes the extensive general education of young people. In some universities, general education subjects account for up to half of all subjects studied by students. In the first two years of study, students can still think about their choice and, at the end of 2 years, transfer to another faculty. There are usually about 10 of them in state universities. After that, full-fledged training in subjects in the specialty begins.

Japanese education system

The modern education system in Japan has developed
130 years ago, during the years of rapid modernization of the country, launched in 1868 by the Meiji Restoration. It cannot be said that the school system that existed until that time did not satisfy the state's needs for competent employees. Beginning in the 15th century, at Buddhist temples, the children of aristocrats and samurai received a secular education. Since the 16th century, with the development of commerce, the offspring of merchant families were also drawn to education. Their monks taught reading, writing and arithmetic. True, until the Meiji Restoration, education in the country remained class-based. There were separate schools for the children of aristocrats, warriors, merchants, and peasants. Most often, these schools were family businesses: the husband taught the boys, the wife taught the girls. The main emphasis was on literacy, although there were some nuances. Children of noble people were taught court etiquette, calligraphy and versification, and the offspring of commoners were taught skills more necessary in everyday life. The boys devoted a lot of time to physical exercises, and the girls were taught the basics of housekeeping - sewing, the art of making bouquets. But even then, in terms of the degree of literacy of the population, Japan was hardly inferior to other countries of the world.

Education in Japan is a cult supported by the family, society and the state. From a young age, the Japanese are constantly and intensively learning. First - to enter a prestigious school, then - to enter the best university in a competition, after - to get a job in a respected and prosperous corporation. The principle of "lifetime employment" adopted in Japan gives a person the right to only one attempt to take a worthy place in society. A good education is considered a guarantee that she will be successful.

Japanese mothers are simply obsessed with ensuring that their children receive the best education. In conditions when the majority of Japanese people are on the same level of well-being (72% of the country's inhabitants consider themselves to be middle class and have approximately the same income), the education of children is the only thing they can compete in.

Such a serious attention to education gave rise to "juku" - special evening schools for preparing prestigious educational institutions. The number of such schools, analogues of which appeared at Japanese monasteries back in the 18th century, exceeds 100 thousand. Small "juku" sometimes consist of 5-6 students who gather at the teacher's home, in large ones there are up to 5 thousand students. Classes are held from 16:50 to 20:50, from Monday to Friday, and weekly controls are usually scheduled for Sunday morning. Competition in the most prestigious educational institutions is so great that the newspapers use the expression "examination hell". To prepare for the entrance exams in the "juku" they arrange the so-called "ceremonies of courage", during which students with bandages on their heads (the school's motto is written on them) shout with all their might: "I will enter!"

Preschool

The first nursery in the country was established in 1894 in Tokyo, but the idea of ​​an early separation from the mother did not become popular. The first Froebel-type kindergarten was founded in 1876 in Tokyo by the German teacher Clara Zidermann. Its main direction - amateur performance of the child - is still relevant. Since 1882, the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture began to open kindergartens for the poor.

Documents regulating the activities of preschool educational institutions

Standards for early childhood education and official rules for kindergartens were developed in 1900, and in 1926 the "Kindergarten Law" came into force. It recommended the creation of kindergartens on the basis of a nursery. By law in 1947 kindergartens and nurseries became part of the elementary school system. The nurseries were turned into day care centers under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and during the 60s. their programs have ceased to differ from those of kindergartens.

Admission of children to preschool institutions

In Japan, kindergarten is not a compulsory educational level. Children come here at the request of their parents, usually from the age of four. Sometimes, as an exception, when parents are very busy, a child can be taken to kindergarten from the age of 3. There are also nurseries for one-year-old babies in Japan, but it is not recommended to tear them away from the family so early. To place a child in such an institution, parents must prepare a special application and justify the impossibility of raising a child at home up to 3 years.

Network of preschool institutions

Japan has established a system of private and municipal kindergartens, as well as day care groups, which differ from ordinary kindergartens in more modest conditions for children. But all kindergartens are paid. Parents spend on them about a sixth of the average monthly salary. All kindergartens are day-time, as a rule, they work from 8.00 to 18.00. There are a small number of extended daycares.

Among private preschool institutions, a special place is occupied by the so-called elite kindergartens, which are under the tutelage of prestigious universities. If a child enters such a kindergarten, his future can be considered secure: upon reaching the appropriate age, he moves to a university school, and then enters the university without exams. In Japan, there is quite intense competition in the field of education: a university degree is a guarantee of getting a prestigious, well-paid job in a ministry or in some well-known company. And this, in turn, is a guarantee of career growth and material well-being. Therefore, it is very difficult to get into a kindergarten at a prestigious university. Parents pay a lot of money for the admission of the child, and the baby himself, in order to be accepted, must pass a rather complicated test. Relationships between parents of elite kindergarten students, who usually belong to successful, prosperous corporations, are quite tense and jealous. However, there are not so many such preschool institutions. Just as there are not many pro-Western kindergartens, in which the principles of free education prevail and there is no that rigid and rather difficult system of classes for young children that is characteristic of elite kindergartens.

The system of preschool education institutions in Japan cannot be considered sufficiently developed. Almost half of the babies remain outside this system. Therefore, working parents have to wait a long time for the opportunity to enroll their child in kindergarten.

They are trying to defuse tension with children's institutions with the help of various public initiatives. Help centers are being opened for working parents whose kids do not attend kindergartens. This assistance is provided by volunteers who wish to earn extra money by looking after children. As a rule, they are non-working housewives with their own children. They are happy to accept other people's children in their homes or apartments. The duration of the service is determined by the interested parties themselves.

In kindergarten, much attention is paid to education. An agreement is concluded with parents, there is a program, the content of which includes caring for the health of children, the development of their speech and self-expression. There are about 20 children per adult.

In day care centers, the emphasis is on education. Babies and preschoolers are raised together. Children are directed to them by the municipal authorities. The fee depends on the family income. The content of the work includes:

• baby care;
• ensuring his emotional stability;
• health care;
• regulation of social contacts;
• acquaintance with the surrounding world;
• development of speech and self-expression.

In such centers, on average, there are 10 children per adult.

In addition to the above types of preschool institutions in Japan, there are additional schools for gymnastics, swimming, music, dance, art, as well as private kindergartens at schools preparing for university entrance.

Working hours of preschool institutions

Children over 3 years old are in kindergarten for about 4 hours a day. Day care centers operate on an eight-hour schedule. But at present there are also preschool institutions where even children of the first year of life are from 9.00-10.00 to 21.00-22.00.

In kindergartens, the menu for children is carefully thought out. Educators advise parents on how to prepare an obento - a lunch box that every mother should cook for her child in the morning. It is recommended to use 24 kinds of products. The menu necessarily includes dairy products, vegetables, fruits. The vitamin and mineral composition of dishes and their caloric content are calculated (it should not exceed 600-700 calories per meal).

The composition of groups in kindergarten is not constant. Teaching children interaction, Japanese educators form them into small groups (han), which is the most important distinguishing feature of the organization of preschool education. These groups have their own tables and their own names. Children are encouraged to make decisions that take into account the wishes of all members of the group. In addition, such groups serve as a kind of subdivision for joint activities. Group of 6-8 people. includes representatives of both sexes and is formed not according to their abilities, but in accordance with what can direct their activities in an effective direction. Groups are re-formed every year. The change in the children's composition is associated with an attempt to provide the kids with the widest possible opportunities for socialization. If a child does not develop relationships in this particular group, it is possible that he will find friends among other children. Children are taught many skills, including how to look at the interlocutor, how to express themselves and take into account the opinions of their peers.

Teachers also change. This is done so that children do not get used to them too much. Attachments, according to the Japanese (following the Americans), give rise to children's dependence on their mentors, and the latter are burdened with too serious responsibility for the fate of children. If the teacher for some reason disliked the child, this situation will also not be very difficult. Perhaps he will develop friendly relations with another teacher and he will not think that all adults do not like him.

In Japan, there is a tendency to turn the preschool into a family center. We can only judge this by circumstantial indications, such as the recommendations of the Department of Health and Welfare to redesign day care facilities to function as centers that play an important role in the overall structure of the neighborhood, able to meet the diverse needs of parents with young children. .

But traditionally pre-school education begins in the family. The home and family are perceived as a place of psychological comfort, and the mother is its personification. The heaviest punishment for children is excommunication from home, even for a short time. That is why for a fault the child is punished not by a ban on going for a walk with friends, but by excommunication from home. In the relationship between parents and children, there is no demanding or judgmental treatment, threats, slaps, cuffs, especially in public places.

For Japanese women, motherhood is still the main thing. After the birth of children, the life milestones of a Japanese woman are most often determined by the phases of her children's lives (preschool, school years, university entrance, etc.). Many Japanese women believe that raising children is all they need to do to make their life "ikigai", i.e. made sense.

The modern Japanese family retains a number of specific features, the main of which is patriarchy. Japan is characterized by the traditional idea of ​​dividing life roles by gender: a man works outside the home, a woman runs the household and raises children. The concept of the family emphasizes the continuity of the family line, the fading of which is perceived as a terrible disaster. From this follows a very careful, loving attitude towards one's own and other people's children, their health and personal development.

In Japan, the desire of children for parental care is viewed positively. According to the majority of citizens, it protects the child from bad influence, the use of narcotic and psychotropic drugs. The main meaning of primary socialization in Japan can be formulated in a few words: the absence of any restrictions for babies. The educational doctrine, as G. Vostokov noted, is applied to children “with such gentleness and love that it does not act in a depressing way on the soul of children. No grouchiness, no strictness, almost no corporal punishment. The pressure on children is in such a mild form that it seems as if the children are raising themselves, and that Japan is a children's paradise, in which there are not even forbidden fruits. This attitude towards children in Japan has not changed: parents behave today with children in the same way as before.

Japanese women tend to regulate the child's behavior by influencing his feelings, in every way avoid confrontation with his will and desire, and more often express their dissatisfaction indirectly. They try to expand emotional contact with the child, seeing this as the main means of control, it is important for them to demonstrate the correct behavior in society by their own example, and not verbal communication with children. Japanese women avoid asserting their power over children, as this leads to the alienation of the child from the mother. Women emphasize the problems of emotional maturity, compliance, harmonious relationship with other people and consider emotional contact with the child as the main means of control. The symbolic threat of loss of parental love is a more influential factor for the child than words of condemnation. Thus, by observing their parents, children learn how to interact with other people.

However, the practice of introducing children to group values ​​is still carried out in kindergartens and schools. It is for this child that they are sent to a preschool. Kindergarten and nursery are places where children spend most of their time and where, accordingly, their character formation is influenced.

As the Japan Today magazine notes, today there is an increased attention of the Japanese to the younger generation, and this is caused by the demographic crisis. The rapid aging of Japanese society is directly related to the declining birth rate. Taking into account these circumstances, a social system of state support for parents in raising their children in the preschool period is being formed in Japan. At the birth of a child, every working mother has the right to an annual paid leave to care for him. For each child, the state pays parents an allowance for his upbringing. Until 2000, it was paid up to 4 years, now - up to 6, i.e. before entering elementary school.

In Japan, a growing number of companies are seeking to create a "family-friendly environment." For example, after returning to work, women are not only restored to their previous jobs, but also receive benefits in the form of a shorter working day, the opportunity to switch to a “rolling” work schedule.

Parents' clubs are also being created, where mothers relax with their children in their free time. While parents communicate with each other, student volunteers are engaged with their children, for whom this activity is a form of social activity. Since 2002, such parent clubs began to receive financial support from the state.

Schools

Children between the ages of 6 and 15 are required to attend a six-year primary school followed by a three-year junior high school. Children from poor families receive subsidies to pay for school lunches, medical care and excursions. In each area visited there is only one school of this level of education, so the child is doomed to go only to it. However, parents are given the right to send their children to private paid institutions of all levels of education, but they have rather strict selection rules.

In elementary school, they study Japanese, social studies, arithmetic, natural science, music, drawing and crafts, home art, ethics, and physical education. In private schools, ethics may be partially or wholly replaced by the study of religion. There is also such a subject as "special activity", which includes club work, meetings, sports events, excursions, ceremonies, etc. Schoolchildren themselves take turns cleaning classrooms and other premises in the school, and at the end of the school semester everyone goes out for general cleaning.

After graduating from elementary school, the child is obliged to continue education in junior high school. Along with the compulsory subjects (native language, mathematics, social studies, ethics, science, music, art, special activities, physical education, technical skills and home economics), students can choose a number of subjects - a foreign language, agriculture or advanced mathematics.

The next step on the way to university is senior secondary schools. These educational institutions are divided into day schools (the term of study is three years), as well as evening and correspondence schools (they study here for a year longer). Although graduates of evening and correspondence schools receive equivalent graduation documents, 95% of students choose to study in day schools. According to the profile of education, general, academic, technical, natural sciences, commercial, arts, etc. senior secondary schools can be distinguished. About 70% of students choose the general curriculum.

Admission to senior high schools is based on a junior high school graduation certificate (Chugakko) and passing a competition based on the results of entrance examinations. In upper secondary school, in addition to compulsory general education subjects (Japanese, mathematics, science, social studies, etc.), students can be offered electives, including English and other foreign languages, as well as technical and special subjects. In the 12th grade, students must choose one of the study profiles for themselves.

According to the order of the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, the university system of knowledge assessment is used in the upper secondary school. This means that each student must earn at least 80 credits to receive a 12-year high school diploma (Kotogakko). For example, following the results of studying each of the two courses of the Japanese language and modern Japanese literature, 4 credits are given, for the lexicology of the Japanese language and lectures on the classical language - two credits.

The school year in Japan starts on April 1st (no joke) and ends on March 31st of the following year. It is usually divided into trimesters: April-July, September-December and January-March. Schoolchildren have holidays in summer, winter (before and after the New Year) and spring (after exams). Rural schools tend to have farm seasonal holidays at the expense of shortened summer holidays.

Colleges

Japanese colleges can be equated in status with our secondary specialized educational institutions. They are divided into junior, technological and special training colleges. The junior colleges, which number about 600, offer two-year degree programs in the liberal arts, sciences, medical sciences, and engineering. Their graduates have the right to continue their education at the university from the second or third year of study. Admission to junior colleges is based on the senior high school. Applicants take entrance exams and - less and less often - the "Test of Achievements of the First Stage".

Junior colleges are 90% private and are very popular with young people. The number of applicants to enroll in them annually is three times the number of places. About 60% of colleges are for women only. They study such subjects as household finances, literature, languages, education, health care.

You can enroll in colleges of technology after graduating from junior or senior high school. In the first case, the training period is 5 years, in the second - two years. Colleges of this type study electronics, construction, mechanical engineering and other disciplines.

Special training colleges offer one-year professional courses for accountants, typists, designers, programmers, auto mechanics, tailors, cooks, etc. The number of such educational institutions, most of which are private, reaches 3.5 thousand. True, their graduates do not have the right to continue their studies at a university, junior or technical college.

universities

There are about 600 universities in Japan, including 425 private ones. The total number of students exceeds 2.5 million people. The most prestigious public universities are Tokyo (founded in 1877, has 11 faculties), Kyoto University (1897, 10 faculties) and Osaka University (1931, 10 faculties). They are followed by the universities of Hokkaido and Tohoku. Of the private universities, the most famous are Chuo, Nihon, Waseda, Meiji, Tokai and Kansai University in Osaka. In addition to them, there is a significant number of "dwarf" higher educational institutions with 200-300 students in 1-2 faculties.

You can enter public universities only after completing high school. The admission is carried out in two stages. At the first stage, applicants centrally pass the "Common Test of Achievements of the First Stage", which is conducted by the National Center for University Admissions. Those who have successfully passed the test are allowed to take entrance exams, which are already held directly at universities. Those who receive the highest marks in the tests are allowed to take exams at the most prestigious universities in the country.

It should be emphasized that private universities conduct entrance examinations on their own. The best private universities have elementary, junior and senior secondary schools and even kindergartens in their structure. And if an applicant has successfully passed all the way from kindergarten to high school in the system of a given university, he is enrolled in it without exams.

A characteristic feature of the organization of the educational process in Japanese universities is a clear division into general scientific and special disciplines. The first two years, all students receive general education, studying general scientific disciplines - history, philosophy, literature, social science, foreign languages, as well as listening to special courses in their future specialty. During the first two-year period, students get the opportunity to delve deeper into the essence of the chosen specialty, and teachers - to make sure that the student's choice is correct, to determine his scientific potential. Theoretically, at the end of the general scientific cycle, a student can change his specialization and even faculty. In reality, however, such cases are extremely rare and occur only within the framework of one faculty, and the initiator is the administration, not the student. In the last two years, students study their chosen specialty.

The terms of study at all universities are standardized. The basic course of higher education is 4 years in all major areas of study and specialties. Doctors, dentists and veterinarians study for two years longer. Upon completion of the basic course, a bachelor's degree is awarded - Gakushi. Formally, a student has the right to be enrolled in a university for 8 years, that is, the expulsion of negligent students is practically excluded.

University graduates who have shown the ability to research can continue their studies for a master's degree (Shushi). It lasts two years. The PhD (Hakushi) degree requires already three years of study for those with a master's degree, and at least 5 years for bachelors.

In addition to students, graduate students, and doctoral students, Japanese universities have volunteer students, transfer students, research students, and collegiate researchers. Volunteers are enrolled in a basic course or in graduate school to study one or a number of courses. Transfer students from Japanese or foreign universities are enrolled to attend one or more lectures or to receive scientific guidance in graduate or doctoral studies (taking into account previously received credits). Research students (Kenkyu-sei) enter graduate school for a year or more to study a scientific topic under the guidance of a university professor, but they are not awarded academic degrees. Finally, collegiate researchers are teachers, teachers, researchers and other professionals who have expressed a desire to conduct research under the guidance of a professor at a given university.

Advanced training system

Graduates of higher educational institutions continue their education in the corporations that hired them. The system of "lifetime employment" provides that a person works in one company until the age of 55-60. When selecting applicants, the rating of the university that graduated them is taken into account, as well as the results shown on the test, which includes questions to determine the degree of general preparation and culture, assimilation of humanitarian and technical knowledge. The best applicants are interviewed, during which their personal qualities are assessed (sociability, willingness to compromise, ambition, commitment, ability to enter the system of already built relationships, etc.).

Recruitment is made once a year, in April. Immediately after this, new employees undergo a mandatory short training course lasting 1-4 weeks. Within its framework, they get acquainted with the company, its production profile, organizational structure, development history, traditions, concept.

After the introductory course, they enter a period of apprenticeship, which varies in duration from two months to a year. The learning process consists mainly of workshops held in various divisions of the company, lecture courses and seminars on the system of organizing production, labor, sales, and on the specifics of the work of future managers. The ratio of practical and theoretical classes almost always develops in favor of the former (from 6:4 to 9:1).

In Japanese firms, a constant rotation of personnel has been adopted. After the employee has sufficiently mastered one specialty, he is transferred to another workplace, where the process of practical training begins again. Periodic change of jobs during the work of an employee (usually 3-4 times) is considered the best way to improve the skills of personnel. Thanks to the rotation, "heads of a general profile" are formed, who are well aware of the features of the activities of many divisions of the company.

In addition, managers also undergo additional academic training. They are taught courses on production management, its maintenance, product marketing, financial activities, personnel management and international trade.

Summary.

Based on the foregoing, we can conclude that education in Japan is a cult. And educational aspects in the Japanese education system are given great attention. And, in my opinion, this is very good, because any person in this country can be sure of his future, as well as the future of his children. Although in Japan, as well as in Russia, there is a shortage of places in kindergartens. Just like in Russia, there is a large teaching load in Japanese kindergartens. But in Japan, each educational institution has a whole team of medical workers: a doctor, a nurse, a dentist, a pharmacist, a health curator. All of them take care of the health of the little Japanese, which would not hurt our educational institutions, as well. after graduating from high school, only 30 percent of healthy children graduate.

I also liked the interconnection system of all educational institutions, from kindergarten to university. Thus, a child from an early age goes to his goal and he has all the guarantees that he will definitely study at the University.

Another important aspect of education in Japan is thatfor every Japanese, “kokoro” means the idea of ​​education, which is not limited to knowledge and skills, but contributes to the formation of a person’s character, which is important for later life.

A university degree in Japan is a guarantee of obtaining a prestigious and well-paid job, and this, in turn, is a guarantee of career growth and material well-being, which cannot be said about education in Russia.

But what I like most about this country's system is that Japan is the only developed country in the world where the teacher's salary is higher than the salaries of local government officials.

In general, comparing the Japanese and Russian education systems, we can say that they are very similar and have much in common, but the Japanese system is the most thought out and brought to its logical end.

Bibliography

1. V.A.Zebzeeva Preschool education abroad: history and modernity. - M .: TC Sphere, 2007

2. Paramonova L.A., Protasova E.Yu. Pre-school and primary education abroad. History and modernity. M., 2001.

3. Sorokova M.G. Modern preschool education. USA, Germany, Japan. Actual problems and ways of development. M., 1998. S. 47.

The Japanese nation is known for the fact that everything that is advanced in Japan today was borrowed from other nations and states. Japan, as a statehood, was formed on the images and teachings borrowed from China, and to this day, the policy of introducing advanced technologies from all over the world into our lives continues. But Japan does not just copy something, but selects the best and implements it taking into account its own characteristics.

Japan's education system did not escape this scheme either. Back in the Middle Ages from the 6th to the 9th century, Japan actively borrowed writing, culture, Confucianism and Buddhism from China. Already in the 9th century, in the capital of Japan, Kyoto, there were five educational institutions - higher ones. The centers of education in Japan in the Middle Ages were the monasteries of Zen Buddhism.

In the 19th century, Japan switched to Europe as an advanced cultural and educational center and, in particular, to France. Japan began to adopt everything advanced from the French, organized trips to study in France, invited French teachers to their country.

After the Second World War, when the Japanese directly encountered the Americans and their culture on their land, they realized that the cultural and educational center had moved from Europe to America. And accordingly, everything that could be learned, studied and then put into practice from the American education system (and everything else), the Japanese studied and put into practice.

And until now, the education system in Japan resembles the American one. But not everything was easy and smooth. In the 60s, student unrest took place in Japan, in which teachers also took part. The government of Japan was required to eradicate cruelty, exclude uniformity and provide an alternative.

In the eighties, after a long discussion, a reform of the education system was carried out, which consisted of the following: the development of a policy of continuous education, an increase in financial investments in the educational process, a change in teaching methods, an individual approach to students, information and technical equipment of the educational process and other measures.

The general education system in Japan is as follows:

• – the period of stay in kindergarten is 3 years, children are accepted from the age of three
• elementary school - schegakko, which is accepted from the age of 6 and the educational process lasts for six years
• high school - jugakko, from the age of 12, study for three years
• higher secondary school (high school) - kotogakko, from the age of 15, study for three years

Children study for 12 years. Education at school (except for the senior one) is free of charge Compulsory education is nine years, after finishing nine classes a student can enter technical colleges. After graduating from high school, education can be continued at the university, and then in graduate school.

Education in high school, as well as education at the university, is paid. Education in public educational institutions is much cheaper.