Japanese schools are extremely strict and tough by American standards, but they are also extremely effective at teaching students what they will need to know when they get into the working world. Entrance exams designed to weed out the weak are required for college, high school, junior high, and even some elementary schools. The students must be (and are) for the most part very ambitious about their future. Their parents continually push them to go further, opening their wallets wide to “Cram Schools” and other education programs designed to help students succeed in the difficult Japanese school system.
It is clear that Japanese people place high value hard work, dedication, and persistence. They teach this, from the very beginning of their education, by having an eight hour school day, going to school usually six days a week (seven sometimes, if they have an exam). They have hardly any free time. However, a Japanese student only has to go to school up until 9th grade; but with an education like that, it’s unlikely that they would even be able to get a job at McDonalds in Japan.
The Japanese schools also have very strict rules. They think it very important not to have any distractions in their learning environment. Students aren’t allowed to chew gum, dye their hair, or get a tattoo. Almost all Japanese schools require that you wear a school uniform. Some of those schools will not even let you choose the color of socks you wear. While this may seem entirely too strict for Americans, it is apparently very effective. Students stay on task and try to get as much work done in school so they don’t have to do it when they get home.
To help students pass the increasingly difficult entrance exams for high school and college, there are the so-called “Cram Schools.” These schools begin after normal school hours, and generally end around 8:30 PM; some 12 hours after their school day began. Generally, for 3rd through 6th graders, “Cram Schools” costs up to $5,000 a year. People who take exams and fail are called ronin, rogue students, and it can take many tries to get into a university, especially a prestigious one. After getting into a college/university, many students go into a “May sickness” (gogatsubyo) because of the stress they went through to get in. May is generally the month the exams take place.
A person’s education background and the university he/she graduated from are by far the most important things employers look at when hiring in Japan. For a McDonalds/factory worker/shop assistant, etc. they need to have at least completed high school. For a low-level office job, they must complete college. For a decent office job or one in the IT field, a 4-year university education is required. Currently, there are a lot of people with university educations, so this is starting to become a minimum requirement for many jobs previously not requiring it. Some companies won’t even look at your application unless you’ve been to a certain university.
Americans tend to take the fetal position just hearing about this kind of education, but to most Japanese, it’s just what they have to do. There are some suicides, but no more so than in the U.S. Most students go to school at least through high school, because their parents are continually pushing them. Remarkably, over 95 percent of Japanese graduate from high school, compared to 88 percent of American students. Japanese employees of large companies and government programs rank among the most well-educated people on earth.
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