Covering the business of education and training

Japanese students go to school year round. The school year starts the beginning of April. There is a short, homework-filled, 6 weekish summer break, and another 1-2 week break at the end of March.

The kids go to school six days a week, two weeks out of each month...

Now an educational reform panel wants more...more...more classroom time. 10% more.

In addition to having the kids spend more time in the classroom - I remember how long it took just to get two Saturdays off a month - the panel is proposing:

1. Closer scrutiny of current teachers

2. A license renewal system

3. A national examination system to get a teacher's license

4. Compulsory commmnity service for high school students to learn social norms

5. Reveiw of a 1940 ban on physical punishment to help curb bullying...the teachers can do the bullying instead.

6. Suspension for bullies

7. Allow exceptional students to skip grades

8. Review of the five-day school week.

Critics in Japan are worrying that there has been a decline in student academic performance. So, instead of letting them balance their life with play, the answer seems to be to give the teachers a whip, and send the kids to school more often and longer.

What do you think?