Education in the Empire of Japan

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Ministry of Education of Japan, circa 1890

Education in the Empire of Japan was a high priority for its government, as the leadership of the early Meiji government realized the need for universal public education in its drive to modernize the nation.

Education policy during Meiji era

During the

commoners and outcasts were limited to none. What these low-class people did learn was generally geared towards the basic and practical subjects such as reading, writing, and arithmetic.[1]
By the late 1860s, the Meiji leaders had established a system that declared equality in education for all in the process of modernizing the country.

After 1868 new leadership set Japan on a rapid course of

school boards, and teacher autonomy.[2][3]
Such ideas and ambitious initial plans, however, proved very difficult to carry out. After some trial and error, a new national education system emerged. As an indication of its success, elementary school enrollments climbed from about 30% percent of the school-age population in the 1870s to more than 90 percent by 1900, despite strong public protest, especially against school fees.

In 1871, the

normal schools for teacher education were also created in each prefecture. Other advisors, such as George Adams Leland
, were recruited to create specific types of curriculum.

By 1890, Imperial Rescript on Education was signed to articulate government policy on the guiding principles of education on the Empire of Japan. The Imperial Rescript along with highly centralized government control over education, largely guided Japanese education until the end of World War II.

With the increasing

vocational training. Inoue Kowashi, who followed Mori as Minister of Education established a state vocational school system, and also promoted women's education
through a separate girls' school system.

Compulsory education was extended to six years in 1907. According to the new laws, textbooks could only be issued upon the approval of the Ministry of Education. The curriculum was centered on moral education (mostly aimed at instilling patriotism), mathematics, design, reading and writing, composition, Japanese calligraphy, Japanese history, geography, science, drawing, singing, and physical education. All children of the same age learned each subject from the same series of textbook.

1912–1937

Keijo Imperial University in Seoul, one of the nine Imperial Universities

During the

moral education
.

Tokyo Imperial University

During this period, socialism and communism exerted influences on teachers and teaching methods. The New Educational Movement (新教育運動, Shin Kyōiku Undō) led to teachers unions and student protest movements against the nationalist educational curriculum. The government responded with increased repression, and adding some influences from the German system in an attempt to increase the patriotic spirit and step up the militarization of Japan. The Imperial Rescript to Soldiers and Sailors became compulsory reading for students during this period.

Specialized schools for the blind and for the deaf were established as early as 1878, and were regulated and standardized by the government in the Blind, Deaf and Dumb Schools Order of 1926. Blind people were encouraged toward vocations such as massage, acupuncture, physical therapy, and piano tuning.

1937–1945

After the

Manchurian Incident of 1931, the curriculum of the national educational system became increasingly nationalistic and after the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937, the curriculum became increasingly militaristic and was influenced by ultranationalist Education Minister Sadao Araki
.

In 1941, elementary schools were renamed National People's Schools (国民学校, Kokumin Gakkō, translated from German

military training (for boys) and home economics
(for girls). The Seinen Gakkō also conducted classes at night for working boys and girls.

Normal schools were renamed Specialized Schools (専門学校, Senmon Gakkō), and were often affiliated with a university. The Senmon Gakkō taught

business management
. The aim of the Senmon Gakkō was to produce a professional class, rather than intellectual elite. In the pre-war period, all higher school for women were Senmon Gakkō.

After the start of the

Meiji period. The Japanese state modernized organizationally, but preserved its national idiosyncrasies. Emphasis was laid on the Emperor worship
cult, and loyalty to the most important values of the nation, and the importance of ancient military virtues.

After the surrender of Japan in 1945, the United States Education Missions to Japan in 1946 and again in 1950 under the direction of the American occupation authorities abolished the old educational framework and established the foundation of Japan's post-war educational system.

See also

References

  1. ^ Hopper, Helen (2005). Fukuzaw Yukichi: From Samurai to Capitalist. New York: Person/Longman.
  2. ^ Gordon, Andrew (2003). A Modern History of Japan: From Tokugawa Times to the Present. New York: Oxford University Press.
  3. ^ Hopper, Helen (2005). Fukuzawa Yukichi: From Samurai to Capitalist. New York: Pearson/Longman.
  4. ^ "学制（明治五年八月三日文部省布達第十三・十四号・明治六年三月十八日文部省布達第三十号・明治六年四月十七日文部省布達代五十一号・明治六年四月二十八日文部省布達第五十七号）：文部科学省".
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