Education is too isolated and must build closer cooperative relationships with industry and government in an increasingly competitive global economy. An analysis of the current status of education in the United States and Japan suggests the following seven issues as a common agenda. Developing adequate fiscal support systems for education, as competition for resources increases and as the population ages and lower birth rates persist Developing measures through which parents and families can become more involved in the educational process in order to deal with violence, use of weapons, illicit drugs, and other social behavior problems seen in growing numbers of youth. Explore early intervention strategies, especially for children during the first year after birth. The learner must be put first in education.
Education is more than schooling.
If we are to produce workers with the knowledge and skills to be productive, responsible citizens and civically engaged, educators must work much more collaboratively with employers and the larger society. Elementary and secondary education must be reinvented, and national academic standards and assessments need to be implemented. The entire community as well as educators must address social deterrents to learning, such as drugs, violence, and lack of adequate family and community support for children and families. Teachers are the key to educational improvement. We must expand our societal commitment to teacher recruitment, training and compensation.