MEXT(the Japanese government ministry of education) determines fundamental standards for schools from kindergarten to the upper secondary school in formulating their educational curricula so that a standardized education is available anywhere in Japan.
Specifically, the objective, goal, curricula, number of educational weeks and course subjects at each different stage of school are specified under the School Education Law, and furthermore, the objective and contents of each course are stipulated under the Courses of Study established pursuant to laws and ordinances.
In accordance with this, each school has been organizing and implementing its own distinctive curricula, taking into consideration the conditions of the local community and school itself, the stages of mental and physical growth and the characters of children, pupils or students.
Elementary schools and lower secondary schools since April 2002 and upper secondary schools since April 2003 have been nationally using the Courses of Study, which aim for the education of children, pupils and students to acquire rudiments and basics firmly as well as the cultivation of a “the zest for living,” which means the ability to learn and think independently by and for oneself. For that purpose, the following improvements are intended by the new Courses of Study:
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For the National Curriculum Standards for Kindergartens* see this link and this link.
* National Curriculum Standards for elementary and above have not appeared online on the MEXT site at the time of researching, but try out the link below to an article that illustrates the implementation of national curriculum standards in elementary schools, how teaching is carried out, and touches upon Kumon and Soroban afterschool classes.For details on Courses of study, see this page.
For the Course of study for foreign languages, click here.
What is the integrated period of study?
Under the previous administration, it was aimed to make the national curriculum standards more generalized and flexible so that each school would be able to shw ingenuity (creativity?) in making a distinctive timetable. The integrated study period is designed to cultivate ways of learning and thinking and an attittude of trying to solve or pursue problems independently and creatively.
What is MEXT’s initiative to improve the academic ability of students in schools?
Schools are making active efforts to provide the development of learning based on the needs of each student so as to deepen understanding further beyond the scope of the Courses of Study for those children who adequately understand the contents designated by the Courses of Study on the one hand, and on the other to repeat the instruction of the rudiments and basics for those children who do not adequately understand the contents designated by the Courses of Study through supplementary teaching or otherwise to utilize creativity and ingenuity while considering the conditions of the children’s mastery and full understanding.
As of now, MEXT has supported efforts in schools such as: an increase in the staffing number of teachers allowing a small group teaching in line with the degree of attainment; the “Frontier Project to Improve Scholastic Competence,” which is to designate a base school or more to research trial teaching practices for the improvement of the teaching in line with a child’s personality and to spread the results of the research to all other schools in Japan; and the announcement of “Exhortation toward Learning” in January 2002,and in April 2003 formed and has been implementing and promoting the “Action Plan for Improving Academic Ability,” a package of comprehensive measures aimed at securely improving academic ability, based on “the enhancement of individual oriented instruction,” “increasing the desire to learn and academic ability,” “the growth of character and ability,” and “the improvement of English and foreign language skills.”
The initiative is explained in greater detail here.
Sources / references:
MEXT’s website and;
Chapter 2 – The Development and Implementation of Education Standards in Japan (Part 2 of 5) [Link broken currently read it here]
What is the Integrated study period?
Further reading:
[…] What is the National Curriculum? […]
national curriculum is a common programme of study in schools that is designed to ensure nationwide uniformity of content and standards in education. It is usually legislated by the national government, and may involve coordination with state or other regional authorities which have administered school curriculum.
Thank you for this information. I am looking for the standards for Elementary in English. Thank you if you have any insight?
Thanks for all I am looking for units of kindergarten national curriculum in Japan
thank u for the information..looking for,more knowledge about Intl. Curriculum..
There is no uniform or universal international curriculum. You have to check with individual international schools, or look up their websites which usually give you some sort of mission statement, school philosophy and indication of the kind of curriculum standard or model they are using.