Changing admission dates and the start of the school year would have a significant influence on society. Careful discussions should be promoted on the issue.
For the time being, the government intends to shelve the idea of September admissions, an idea that had been under consideration in response to the coronavirus epidemic. The ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito have asked the government to deal with the issue carefully.
September admissions would cause various problems in the transitional stage. As the government and the ruling parties have failed to come up with an effective solution, it is only natural that they should avoid making a hasty decision.
Schools in various parts of the country have been closed for a long time. Although they have reopened since the lifting of the declaration of a state of emergency, special measures such as shortened school hours and staggered attendance by separating grades and school years are being implemented. Many people have expressed concern that children could fall behind in their education
The aim of September admissions is not only to secure learning time by delaying the progression from one grade to the next, but also to leave room for students to engage in club activities and school events. As an autumn start is common in the United States and Europe, shifting the start of the school year to September would have the advantage of making it easier for students to study abroad.
Some prefectural governors proposed the introduction of September admissions, and then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe adopted a positive view, directing each ministry to consider it, possibly in an attempt to ease the sense of stagnation spreading in society due to the pandemic.
There are a wide range of challenges. If the admission of nursery school-age children to elementary schools is delayed next year, there would be a large number of children on waiting lists, albeit temporarily. Lengthening the time that current students stay in school could increase the economic burden on their families.
Municipal governments, which run their own public schools, have strongly opposed the introduction of September admissions to the school year, as they were wary of the increased burden on teachers, among other factors.
Entrance examinations, recruitment and qualification tests are scheduled on the premise of graduations taking place in March. Coordination with each related organization is indispensable if this is to change.
There may be a notion that only in an emergency can bold reforms be made. However, in order to change a system that has taken root in society, a broad consensus among those involved in school education, parents and guardians, businesses and others is essential.
The LDP has urged the government to continue considering September admissions. The government must sort out its arguments and present them to the public in an understandable manner.
The schedules of university and college entrance examinations and selection methods are points that urgently needed to be determined.
September marks the start of applications for the Comprehensive Entrance Examinations, formerly known as AO (admissions office) entrance examinations, through which students are evaluated based on interviews and submitted documents. The first Common Test for University Admissions, which replaces the National Center Test for University Admissions, will take place in January next year.
The LDP has insisted on extending the duration of the common test schedule from two weeks to about a month out of consideration for students whose schools were closed for a long time. It is important for the Education, Culture, Sports and Science and Technology Ministry to consult with universities and high schools and determine to what extent it is possible to change the test schedule.
The central government, universities and colleges should prepare to hold makeup examinations in anticipation of a possible second wave of coronavirus infections occurring during the examination period. It is hoped that they will make an effort to dispel the anxieties of examinees.
-- The original Japanese article appeared in The Yomiuri Shimbun on June 3, 2020.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
