Basic Thinking on Education Reform-Formulating the Third Basic Plan for thePromotion of Education-【Overview】

Ａｐｒｉｌ １９，２０１６
ＫｅｉｄａｎｒｅｎIntroduction (Basic Thinking) Assess progress made to date in the Second Basic Plan for the Promotion of Education
 Organize basic thinking and awareness of the business community on the Third Basic Plan for which
deliberations were launched in April 2016
■Basic Plan for the Promotion ofEducation:
Central Council of Education of MEXT will
Comprehensive plan for education formulatedby the Japanese government based on theBasic Act on Education. Current education
policies are being implemented based on theSecond Basic Plan.
Central Council for
Education deliberates onnext PlanFirst Basic Plan
(FY2008–FY2012) Concept: Vision for education overthe next 10 years
 Develop basic abilities for living
independently in society for all
children by the end of 9th grade.
 Foster human resources capable ofplaying a leadership role ininternational society.
FY2008deliberate on and formulate the Third Basic Planover an 18-month period beginning in April 2016
Central Council for
Education deliberates onnext Plan

Second Basic Plan
(FY2013–FY2017)[Current Plan]

Concept: Identify vision for thefuture direction of society andformulate directions in
education for realizing the vision Lifelong learning society where“value” is created by“independent” individuals
capitalizing on individed
diversity, while cooperatingwith others

Third Basic Plan
(FY2018–FY2022)[Next Plan]FY2013

FY2016Develop education policies
reflecting social changes
foreseen for 2030 andbeyond

FY20181

I. General Evaluation of Current Plan and Ideas for Next Plan
Positive Points

 Presents basic vision for the future direction of society, and identifies
aptitudes and capabilities to be fostered as “achievement targets.”
 Presents specific “achievement indicators” for the achievement oftargets.

Points to Be
Improved

 The relation between aptitudes and capabilities to be fostered as“achievement targets” and “achievement indicators” is difficult tounderstand. There are too many “achievement indicators.” In the nextPlan, both “achievement targets” and “achievement indicators” should
be reduced to only the most important ones. The logic and processes
leading to the achievement of targets should be clearly indicated tofacilitate PDCA cycle for making needed improvements.
 The vision for future society and aptitudes and capabilities to be fosteredin the next generation of human resources should be reexamined andredefined in the next Plan.

２

II. Aptitudes and Capabilities for the Next Generation of Human Resources

Changes in Japan’s internal and external environments
 Diminishing working-age population due to declining birthrates and aging of society.
 Intense competition from emerging market economies.
.
 Rapidchanges in social and industrial structure as represented by the so-called “fourth industrial revolution”(Internet of Things, robotics, artificial intelligence, big data, etc.) and “Society 5.0.”
etc.
The achievement of economic growth in an environment of rapid change andfuture uncertainty requires an open and high-quality education system that fosters
human resources capable of responding proactively to change and able to remain
active throughout life.

Aptitudes and capabilities needed for the future Individual ability to find and define problems and to seek out solutions independently; ability to present one’s
views logically; ability to communicate in foreign languages; liberal arts education; and, respect for diversity andthe ability to collaborate with others in executing projects.
 Science and engineering majors with broad educational background that includes humanities and social sciences;
and, humanities and social science majors with broad educational background that includes basic knowledge ofadvanced technologies and math and science.
 Ability to use information effectively, enabling individuals to gather and select high quality information, and touse information to solve problems.

３III. Required Education Reform
1.Content and Methods of Education to be reformed to Forster Needed Aptitudes and Capabilities（１）Evaluation of Revised Curriculum Guidelines
 The Revised Guidelines can be positively evaluated for undertaking a fundamental review of curricula and methods ofstudy and teaching from the three perspectives of: ①What should students be able to do (necessary aptitudes andcapabilities), ②What should students study (review of courses and subjects), and ③How should students learn(promoting active learning).
 While international surveys of academic achievement indicate that Japanese high school students have returned to thetop level in the world, there are concerns of a polarization in academic aptitude. The National Assessment of Academic
Ability* and other measures should be used to continuously monitor academic achievement levels and to ensure theattainment of minimum academic standards.
* Note: Government survey of the academic achievement levels of 6th and 9th graders aimed at determining and analyzing nationwide academic achievement levels of pupils and students.

【The mean score of Japanese students in the 2012（points） PISA】
560
547
539
540
520
500

534

523

522
498

480

531

529
520

538
536

2003
20062009
reading performance
mathematics performancescience performanceamong the 34
OECD member
scienceperformance
mathematics
performance

4984602000【Ranking of Japan in the 2012 PISA】

2012 year

readeing
performance

１stamong the 65 coutries
and economies
participating in PISA
４th
（1st：Shanghai-China
2nd：Hong Kong-China）

２nd（1st：Korea）

１st

７th
（1st:Shanghai-Chaina
2nd:Singapore）

４th（1st：Shanghai-China
2nd：Hong Kong-China）（note）PISA： OECD is carried out for 15 years old (in Japan a tenth grader) oncein three years. 510,000 local students including OECD participation 34 countries in65 countries participated in an investigation in 2012.

４

（２）Review of Educational Content (Subjects, Courses, and Curricula)①Reforms for improving English ability
 English proficiency levels of Japanese students have not reached government targets, and efforts should be made toreach *the targets defined under the current Plan.
*Expected English skills
Lower secondary school: grade 3 of EIKEN Test which assesses practical English proficiency or above
Upper secondary school: grade Pre-2 to 2 of EIKEN Test or above
University: e.g..80 points on the TOEFL iBT The next Plan should include specific English proficiency targets for each school level. To ensure steady progress
toward targets, mechanisms for verification and performance improvement should be devised for each school level.
 The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programe, which has proven to be successful, should be expanded. Measures
should be taken for teaching “living English” to pupils and students, including the provision of special teachingcertificates to external human resources.

②Addition of new courses and subjects—New subjects for high school education
 “General History,” “General Geography,” and “Exploring Mathematics” (provisional titles) can serve as the foundation
for liberal arts education needed in fostering global and innovative human resources.
 “Ability to use information” does not end with the skills to use ICT devices. The next Plan should clearly identify thespecific capabilities that are needed, and emphasize the importance of acquiring these capabilities. Computersciences related basic education should be reinforced beginning in primary and secondary education, including
programing education.

５

（３）Reforming Study and Teaching Methods①Promoting active learning to improve classes
 The next Plan can be positively evaluated for its proposed treatment of active learning, which is effective in fostering
the aptitudes and capabilities needed for the future. Active learning has been given a central position in study andteaching methods, not only in university education but also throughout primary and secondary education.
 Successful cases of active learning, assessment methods for classwork (grading), and assessment methods in entrance
examinations should be compiled for presentation to schools, and pupils, and students.

②Promoting innovative education through use of ICT

 From the perspective of active learning, effective use of ICT devices is indispensable to carrying out dialogue andcooperative work, and independent learning through deep reflection and thought.
 As ICT serves as a foundation for public education, the government should play a lead role in developing ICT
infrastructures and developing model cases for promoting the proliferation and adoption of ICT. As the first step,*the targets of the current Plan must be achieved.
 For this purpose, the government should once again strongly urge local governments to steadily utilize local fiscal
measures for promoting the use of ICT in education.

*Government target for informatization of education and preparing ICT environment at school-local fiscal measures;total of 671,200 million yen for 4 yeasTarget of The Second Basic Plan for thePromotion of Education

present situation(2014)

3.6persons/ PC

national average 6.4persons/ PC

Electric blackboard・episcope

one for one class/ 100%

national average / 9 ％Equioment rate of wireless LAN

100％

national average / 20％

The number of enrolled students per PC foreducation〔Source: MEXT materials :2015〕６2. Innovate to Foster Human Resources Capable of Success on the Global Stage（１）Promoting Education that Sustains Innovation and Responds to Globalization【Primary and Secondary Education】
 “Super Global High Schools” and the International Baccalaureate (IB) program are effective methods for fostering
the aptitudes and capabilities needed for global human resources. The government goal for widespread adoption of
the IB program should be achieved.
【Higher Education】
 To increase international competitiveness, universities must realize the achievement indicators of the current Planand institute further reforms (governance reform, pursuing education partnerships with overseas universities,increasing the mobility of teaching staff and researchers, etc.).
■Examples of the current Plan’s achievement indicators for university reform:①Within 10 years, double the number of research universities that are competitive on the global level.
②Improve the international standing of Japanese universities-Number of Japanese universities ranked in the world’s top 100 universities remains flat or is decreasing〔Source:
7654
32
10

66
5

4332222012

2013

2014

ＴＨ

ＱＳ

Shanohai Jiao Tong University5422015year

TH: Times HigherEducation
World UniversityRanking（GB）
QS: QuacquarelliSymonds
World University
Ranking（GB）
Shanghai Jiao Tong
UniversityWorld UniversityRanking（CHN）〕

７（２）Promoting Bidirectional International Exchange of Students
 While the number of Japanese exchange students increased slightly in fiscal year 2012 from the previous fiscal year,
policies for promoting the achievement of related *government targets should be continued.
*Government target is to increase the number of Japanese students studying aboard and international students
studying in Japan.
・Dubling the number of Japanese students studying aboard by 2020(University students:60,000 to120,000;Upper secondary school students:30,000 to 60,000)
・Realizing the "300,000 International Students Plan" Although the number of international exchange students in Japanese universities and other institutions is also
increasing at a mild pace, policies for strategic admission of exchange students should be implemented to achieve
further increases.

-Downward trend in Japanese exchange students has given way to slight increase90,000
80,00070,00060,00050,00040,00030,00020,00010,000082,94580,02376,492
66,83374,551

40,835

2003

42,215

2004

38,712

2005

35,282

2006

Worldwide（OECD etc.）

75,15633,974

2007

59,92358,06057,50160,138USA

29,264

2008

24,842
2009

21,29019,966

19,568

2010

2011

2012

〔Ｓｏｕｒｃｅ：OECD（Education at a Glance）、IIE(Institute for International Education)〕

2013

year

８

3. Initiatives for Recruiting and Training Teachers Capable of Coping with New Challenges in Education
 To respond to new challenges in education (active learning, English education, ICT based innovation in education,etc.), teacher training programs and teacher hiring and selection methods should be fundamentally reviewed.
 To attract outstanding human resources to the teaching profession, place greater emphasis on the quality ofteachers rather than their numbers.
 As Japanese schoolteachers are said to be the busiest in the world, promote “team-supported schools” to allow
teachers to concentrate on teaching activities.
 Increase diversity on the frontlines of education by encouraging teachers to accumulate diverse experiences throughoverseas study and working in private businesses, and by recruiting individuals with necessary aptitudes andcapabilities who have been granted special teaching licenses.

-Among 34 OECD countries, Japanese schoolteachers
work the longest hours per week-hours
6050403020
10053.938.3
17.7
3

1.6

administrative
duties

3.9 2.9

5.5 2.9

7.7

JPN

19.3

2.1

consultation clerical duties extracurricularwith otheractivities
teachers

classworking hours
total

Average in 34countries〔Souce：OECD Teaching and Learning
International Survey（ＴＡＬＩＳ）、2013〕

９

4. Revitalizing Local Communities through Community-School-Business Partnership and Cooperation

 Promoting “community schools” is an effective way to revitalize local communities with schools at the core.
 The current Plan calls for an increase in the number of community schools to 10 percent of all existing elementaryand junior high schools. To achieve this goal, necessary reviews of institutions and systems must be carried forward.
(Community schools currently account for 6 percent of a total of 2,389 elementary and junior high schools
nationwide.)■ “community schools”：
The school where a "School Management Council System" is set up, and a parents and local residents participate inschool management with certain responsibility and authority－Role of the School Management Council―①Approve the basic policy of the school management that the school principal formulates②Make input of their views to the principal, the Board of Education regarding school management③Express an opinion about the appointment of the teachers and staff of a school to the Board of Education－The institutional review that is considered―①Make it compulsory to exert efforts to set up the school management council for the Board of Education②Clarify the supporting role of the school management council to school1０

5. Integrated Reform of High School, University Entrance Exams, and University Education
 Promote integrated and mutually consistent reform of high school education, university entrance examination
system, and university education under a unified framework.
 To assure the quality of high school education, "High School Academic Attainment Test" should be used in university
admissions based on AO process and recommendation-based admissions.
 "Scholastic Assessment Test for Applicants" should comprehensively measure abilities to think, decide, and express
oneself.
 University education should be reformed under leadership of university president in line with three core policies. To
assure quality of university education, stricter exit management should be adopted based on diploma policy.

[Three Core Policies in University Education](1) Admissions policy (policy on student admissions), (2) Curriculum policy (policy on curriculum structure andimplementation), (3) Diploma policy (policy on granting of degrees)High School Education Reform(1) Promote active learning(2) Adopt "High School Academic
Attainment Test" to ensure and improvehigh school education quality

 Monitor basic academic attainment at highschool level to improve learning andteaching Central Council for Education discussions
indicate this test will not be used inuniversity admissions process for now

University Entrance Exam Reform(1) Replace "National Center Test for
University Admissions" with "Scholastic
Assessment Test for Applicants"

Shift to comprehensive assessment ofabilities to think, decide, and express
oneself(2) Reforms by individual universities

Shift from over-emphasizing knowledge
to comprehensive and multifaceted
assessment of diverse high school
experiences, motivation,and capabilities

University Education Reform:
・Education management based on
three core policies and implemented
under university president’s
leadershipPromote active learning to expand
on capabilities acquired in highschool.
Assure the quality of university
education through diploma policy.

[Source: Compiled from MEXT materials]

１１6. Fiscal Resources and Investment in Education
 As a precondition to investing in education, the objectives of major educational policies should be clarified, theirrelation to budgetary expenditures should be verified based on objective data, and PDCA cycles should beimplemented based on solid evidence.
 To realize these objectives: [A] Education data needed for verification should be continuously accumulated andpublished after making necessary adjustment for protecting personal information. [B] Government policies should
be assessed by third-party organizations that are independent of the government.
【Claim of Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and Ministry of Finance over the education budget】

Ministry of Education,Culture,Sports,Sciense andTechnology：The ratio of education expenditure among

Ministry of Finance：①By the reflection of there being few

numbers of people of the child among the population theexpense per child, student of the OECD countries is above theaverage ②The education expenditure does not decrease while
declining birthrate advances

the Japanese general government total expenditure is thesecond from the bottom in the existing OECD member
nations of data in 9.1%

【Expenditure on educational as a percentage per person ofGDP,by primary and secondary education in 2011】【Total public expenditure on education as apercentage of total public expenditure in 2011】
NZL
KOR
USA
OECD Ave.
GBR
GER
FRA
JPN
ITA

21.6
16.2
13.6
12.9
12.2
1110
9.1
8.6

05
101520〔Source：OECD“Education at a Glance"(2014) 〕

(%)
25AUS
GBR
JPN
OECD Ave.
KOR
USAFRA
GER

30.6
29.2
24.6
23.2
21.5
21.1
20.8
19.6
051015202530〔Source： Fiscal System Council （June.2015）〕(%)
351２Ⅳ．Expected Role of Businesses Further promote business support for educational activities in elementary schools, junior high schools, high schools,universities, and other institutions.
 Develop working environment as well as personnel affairs and assessment systems that are conducive to theparticipation of diverse human resources, including foreign exchange students, women, senior citizens, and persons
with disabilities.

Ｅｄｕｃａｔｉｏｎ ｓｕｐｐｏｒｔ ｏｆ Ｋｅｉｄａｎｒｅｎ

Ｅｄｕｃａｔｉｏｎ ｓｕｐｐｏｒｔ ｐｒｏｊｅｃｔ ｏｆ Ｋｅｉｚａｉ Ｋｏｈｏ Ｃｅｎｔｅｒ(Japan Institute for Social and Economic Affairs)

1３