## Building Schools that Meet People’s Trust and Expectations

## 1 Improving boards of education—Promotion of responsible local educational administration—

## (1) Division of roles between national and regional government in educational administration and the importance of the board of education system

Article 16 of the Basic Act on Education amended in December 2006 stipulates that educational administration must be performed fairly and appropriately under an appropriate division of roles and mutual cooperation between national and regional government. Through this approach, educational administration is carried out by national government, which establishes the basic framework of the school system under the School Education Law and other laws, sets nationwide standards concerning the content of education such as the Courses of Study, and secures financial resources, and by prefectures and municipalities, which establish schools and perform the operation and maintenance of these schools, thereby serving as the direct implementing agency of education.

In order for schools to be able to address the concerns of parents/guardians and community residents and develop schools suited to the circumstances of the community, the boards of education which shoulder educational administration are required to establish basic education policies in the community, support the independent educational activities of each school, and fulfill the role as the mediators of collaboration between schools and between schools and the community.

Boards of education are agencies established in all regional public organizations as the central support of local educational administration. Because it is extremely important in education to ensure political neutrality, continuity and stability and to reflect the wishes of community residents, boards of education are established to serve as the executive organ of regional public organizations' long independent council system. Boards of education are responsible for administrative duties concerning not only community school education but also social education, culture, sports and so on.

Education board members that compose boards of education are appointed by prefectural governors and city mayors from persons with knowledge concerning education. Upon appointment, the approval of the assemblies of regional public organizations is required. Boards of education decide important matters and basic policies pertaining to educational administration, and based on these decisions, superintendents of education appointed by boards of education from education committee members carry out specific duties (Figure 1-2-12).

## (2) Amendment of laws concerning the organization and management of local educational administration

## —Clarifying the structure of responsibility of boards of education and improving this structure—

Since the end of World War II, boards of education have become firmly established as familiar administrative agencies in the community and have been praised for contributing to equalizing educational opportunities, improving the level of education, and promoting education suited to the circumstances of the community. On the other hand, they have been criticized for not adequately fulfilling the role originally required of them.

To enable schools to address the concerns of parents/guardians and community residents and earn trust in regions nationwide, boards of education, which are the central support of local educational administration, must properly fulfill this role. In June 2007, the national assembly established and promulgated the Law to Partially Amend the Law Concerning the Organization and Management of Local Educational Administration (see Part I, Chapter 1, Section 2 (2)) (Figure 1-2-13).

Since the national government has ensured a consistent level of education, the role fulfilled by boards of education, which are the central support of local educational administration, is of even greater importance for providing education suited to the circumstances of the community and developing schools that meet the trust and expectations of parents/guardians and community residents. With the abovementioned amendment of law, it is hoped that boards of education will fulfill this role in an active and effective manner.