Japan's education ministry will launch a program in the fiscal year starting April 2017, seeking to promote the country's approach to education in developing countries.
Many countries are interested in learning from the Japanese education system, impressed by its academic results, particularly in science and mathematics, and by its emphasis on classroom discipline, according to the ministry.
Japan's vocational education, which prepares graduates to work in industry, is also drawing strong attention from abroad. Ministry officials say the government wants to increase Japan's international contribution to education by showing other countries how it does things.
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology will set up an organization next spring in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry; and the private sector to oversee the program. The education ministry has asked for 150 million yen ($1.23 million) for the project in its budget request for fiscal 2016 through next March.
We'll school you
The project envisions promoting exports of educational programs, rather than facilities. Japanese practices -- having students clean their classrooms, eat school lunches together, hold sports festivals, engage in club activities and participate in disaster drills -- are rare abroad. Many developing countries have expressed admiration for the approach, believing it fosters cooperation among students. Japan's elementary and middle schools, with their high academic standards in science and math, are also of interest.
Japan has unique programs such as five-year engineering high
schools that have turned out technicians credited with supporting the country's economic growth. It also has schools specializing in civil engineering, auto mechanics and other skilled trades.
"Countries that have yet to establish their education systems are paying attention to the Japanese school system," said one official of education ministry.
The new organization will study ways to promote Japanese universities and vocational schools overseas, and to foster the growth of the education industry including textbook publishers and manufacturers of laboratory equipment.
"We would like to demonstrate Japan's presence in the field of education, starting with two or three countries for the present," the official said.