EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM & PRACTICE IN JAPAN

19	“I Outline of Japanese School System”	Previous	Next	JAPANESE

	Since the comprehensive six-year secondary school was only first established in 1999, the numbers of schools and students are small. However, the establishment of additional six-year- secondary schools is likely to accelerate since there are movements promoting establishment of such schools in each prefecture. Cooperation between kindergartens - elementary schools, elementary schools - lower secondary schools and between lower secondary schools - upper secondary schools will become an increasing reality. As discussed when initially formulating this system, since the number of six-year-school is limited, there is a risk that they might become ‘schools for elite’ oriented to university entrance examinations. As a matter of fact, there are some cases of comprehensive six-year public schools with too many applicants. Careful oversight by the boards of education is required.