Japan's truancy rates
Covert
Hi all,
For those who haven't already seen this, here's a recent news article
concerning Japan's rising numbers of school-refusing students.
All of the major Japanese news media released these figures -- which,
since they come from the Ministry of Education, means they are probably
conservative estimates. And for those hardy souls who manage to get
themselves all the way through the Japanese educational system, there's
no longer even a guarantee they'll get a job.
When your local media runs news stories on how Japan is the "educational
role model of the world" or some such nonsense, lay a few of these
numbers on 'em....
Brian Covert
(KnoK NEWS)
in Osaka, Japan
------------------------------
[The Japan Times - Saturday, August 5, 2000]
130,000 in 1999-2000
TRUANCY REACHES RECORD HIGH
More than 130,000 elementary and junior high school students were truant
for 30 or more school days during the 1999-2000 academic year, according
to an Education Ministry survey released Friday.
A total of 130,208 students missed school without permission between
April 1999 and March this year, up about 2,500, or 2 percent, from the
previous academic year and the most since the statistics were first taken
in the 1991-1992 year.
The rate of increase in the number of absentees slowed significantly,
however, from the more than 10 percent rises posted in the three
consecutive years starting with the 1996-1997 year.
"The rate of truancy at schools where they have counselors is low," the
ministry said.
Some 104,000 junior high school students -- up 2.4 percent from the
1998-1999 year -- and about 26,000 elementary school students -- an
increase of 0.1 percent -- were found in the survey to have missed 30 or
more school days.
The figures correspond to 2.45 percent of all junior high school students
in Japan -- one in every 41 -- meaning roughly one student in each class
refused to attend school. One of the reasons often cited is bullying by
other students.
The figure for elementary school students was 0.35 percent, according to
the survey.
Meanwhile, the number of people who neither landed full-time jobs nor
continued their education after graduating from high school, junior
college or university increased to about 295,000, due in part to the
continuing economic recession.
About 121,000 graduates from universities, 42,000 from junior colleges
and 132,000 from high schools were in this category.
The employment rate of new university graduates dropped 4.3 percentage
points to a record low 55.8 percent, with only 301,000 out of the 539,000
graduates taking full-time jobs and with many of the remaining students
continuing on to graduate school.
Between 30 percent and 40 percent of the combined 163,000 university and
junior college graduates who neither landed full-time jobs nor continued
on to graduate school went to vocational schools, indicating a growing
number of youths are hoping to gain special qualifications to help in
their search for work.
The Japan Times
(C) All rights reserved
For those who haven't already seen this, here's a recent news article
concerning Japan's rising numbers of school-refusing students.
All of the major Japanese news media released these figures -- which,
since they come from the Ministry of Education, means they are probably
conservative estimates. And for those hardy souls who manage to get
themselves all the way through the Japanese educational system, there's
no longer even a guarantee they'll get a job.
When your local media runs news stories on how Japan is the "educational
role model of the world" or some such nonsense, lay a few of these
numbers on 'em....
Brian Covert
(KnoK NEWS)
in Osaka, Japan
------------------------------
[The Japan Times - Saturday, August 5, 2000]
130,000 in 1999-2000
TRUANCY REACHES RECORD HIGH
More than 130,000 elementary and junior high school students were truant
for 30 or more school days during the 1999-2000 academic year, according
to an Education Ministry survey released Friday.
A total of 130,208 students missed school without permission between
April 1999 and March this year, up about 2,500, or 2 percent, from the
previous academic year and the most since the statistics were first taken
in the 1991-1992 year.
The rate of increase in the number of absentees slowed significantly,
however, from the more than 10 percent rises posted in the three
consecutive years starting with the 1996-1997 year.
"The rate of truancy at schools where they have counselors is low," the
ministry said.
Some 104,000 junior high school students -- up 2.4 percent from the
1998-1999 year -- and about 26,000 elementary school students -- an
increase of 0.1 percent -- were found in the survey to have missed 30 or
more school days.
The figures correspond to 2.45 percent of all junior high school students
in Japan -- one in every 41 -- meaning roughly one student in each class
refused to attend school. One of the reasons often cited is bullying by
other students.
The figure for elementary school students was 0.35 percent, according to
the survey.
Meanwhile, the number of people who neither landed full-time jobs nor
continued their education after graduating from high school, junior
college or university increased to about 295,000, due in part to the
continuing economic recession.
About 121,000 graduates from universities, 42,000 from junior colleges
and 132,000 from high schools were in this category.
The employment rate of new university graduates dropped 4.3 percentage
points to a record low 55.8 percent, with only 301,000 out of the 539,000
graduates taking full-time jobs and with many of the remaining students
continuing on to graduate school.
Between 30 percent and 40 percent of the combined 163,000 university and
junior college graduates who neither landed full-time jobs nor continued
on to graduate school went to vocational schools, indicating a growing
number of youths are hoping to gain special qualifications to help in
their search for work.
The Japan Times
(C) All rights reserved