Gov't to boost moral education for young people
TOKYO —
The government is planning to boost moral education for young people in a bid to prevent crimes and bullying, as well as provide greater support for juveniles isolated from society. Specific measures will be spelled out in a revised outline of youth development measures that the government plans to adopt on Friday.
The draft report says youth problems are becoming increasingly complex due to expanding income gaps in society. It says that juvenile crime can stem from a lack of communication with family and others, an unstable employment outlook and the financial difficulties of parents. It calls on the government to promote moral education for parents as well as young people.
The government will also study the role of cell phones in juvenile crimes and bullying and clarify how they should be used at school.
Wire reports
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44 Comments
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outofmydepth
well - that`s rich. what with all the bid-rigging, pension debacles, mis-use of tax revenues to name a few - the kids ought to learn a lot about how to beat the system.
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Simon_Foston
They'd be better off introducing moral education classes for parents, teachers, businessmen, bureaucrats and LDP members.
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some14some
not possible without 'outsourcing' !
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tanyurine
How about beginning with an education program on the trains and in stations. Put on extra staff, put up posters, make announcements: "In order not to trouble others, do not plow into them with your shoulder, briefcase, or shopping bag. If you should accidentally bump into someone, say 'excuse me'" Some basic civil behavior. Worked in NY City (enforcing laws against turnstile jumpers, etc).
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noborito
How about simple manners. Moral education in a country with no morals. Interesting. Who will teach it?
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soldave
"Youth of Japan - you are free to do as we tell you!"
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borscht
Kids are going bonkers, according to this report, because of
So rather than address the causes, the government is going to address the effects. Not that this is backward thinking but it is definitely easier: tell the teachers what to teach and when and viola! Government has done it's job. Of course, nothing will change; just the way the LDP likes it.
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thepro
I think they need more patriotism for beautiful Japan. More kimigayo.
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rjd_jr
This is welcome news, many more kids around the world could definitely use a lot of moral education. Kudos.
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soldave
rjd - Think you meant to say "Mane people in Japan could definitely use a lot of moral education. About time"
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Disillusioned
Good!
Start with banning manga!
Get the police off their butts and start arresting some of these lawless teenagers terrorizing the streets on their unregistered and noisy scooters.
Close every maid cafe in Akihabara.
Educate the parents on the importance of actually nurturing their children.
Start punishing kids at school and stop giving them the answers to tests.
Fire every politician in the country and install a proxy government run by JT readers!
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tmarie
Great. So are they going to hire teachers that can actually teach this stuff??
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medievaltimes
If they just "do their best" everything will work itself out.
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mareo2
The longer that corrupt politicians dont go to jail, I dont see how these can work.
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timorborder
Why stop with young people?
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smithinjapan
Since I arrived in Japan ever so long ago, I was told that cell phones (still not as wide spread) were not allowed in junior highschools and/or highschools. The result? Kids took them anyway, and nothing was done about it. Now they're saying they should possibly 'outlaw' cell phones at school, even though the kids aren't supposed to have them anyway? So, how exactly are they going to discipline/enforce this? Answer? NOTHING. Until a decent system is put into place to suspend unlawful kiddies and/or give them the boot (expulsion), as well as calling the police when necessary (and the police actually doing something), the kids will just say 'no' and that'll be the end of it.
I'm afraid this isn't a problem that can start from the bottom and go up. It's good to have support for the kids, to be sure, but if you try feeding them a bunch of lines about morals while not practicing what you preach, it'll be rightfully lost on them. Nah, this is a problem that has to start at the source -- government -- and work its way down before it'll have any effect.
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HeathenCabin
Parents fail at parenting. Apparently the J-gov thinks it can be a parent, what a disaster waiting to happen.
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Spidey
Talk about the blind leading the blind!
Geez...
S
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johnshiomi
i have been teaching kids for over 20 years and i've noticed that the "bad kids", ones with behavior problems, lack of concentration, etc usually come from parents who are "bad" too. It's no coincidence. Even before I meet the parents I have a good idea what they are like after getting to know the kid. I think change needs to begin in the family. Parents need to change and start loving their kids unconditionally, be a good role model to them. Kids will feel this from their parents and naturally blossom. I don't think it's the governments responsibility to take care of this... each person has to take care of their own family and let the families around them know when change is necessary. The key to the 99 is the one. Use a little self-awareness, get educated, and be proactive.
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herefornow
Will the teachers that cheated on the exam to get their jobs be teaching this moral education?
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soldave
Let's hope the moral education gets through the heads of Japanese students more than English education does.
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whitepocky
Morals, basic manners, common sense and the ability to take responsibility for one's own actions to name a few. There seems to be more than morals lacking from the Japanese mindset.
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Speed
In Japan, moral education in the past was taught in BOTH the home (read community) and at school. With the loss of extended families and close tight-nit communities, where everyone knew one another and actually felt the embarrassment of of "one of their own" exhibiting criminal behavior, has been the biggest cause of the decline of moral fiber in both children and adults.
The actual feeling of "shame" has disappeared from the communities I see in contemporary Japan, compared to about 40 years ago when I lived first lived here as a child.
I'm sorry, but just teaching morals in the schools without any corresponding effort or changes by families and communities will prove ineffective.
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Statistician
Great idea. let's hope that the lessons will also cover the evils of political corruption and the evils of politicians taking bribes and back-handers.
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555Book
Students or individual can change but their effort can be shortlived and ineffective if the larger environment is already tainted. In order to effectively overhaul the entire system, the change has to come from the very top, only they have the power to make sweeping and far reaching changes. Leaders should set a good example and use it to influence the entire society.
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proxy
To be honest, I really don't think there is a big problem with lack of morals in the youth of Japan at all and I am satisfied with the "morals", human rights, drug and sex education my children are getting in public school. I think this is just a case of the older generation being bitter and blaming everything on the youth of Japan.
If there are only two "silver" seats on the train and 50 retirees elbowing to get at them they all shoot daggers out of their eyes at the poor high school students sitting in their own seats. Hey, young people paid the fare and have just as much right to sit down as the herds of old people do. What the old people don't realize is that that one young person on the train has had a hard day of work trying to get enough money to pay the taxes to support all the old people that constantly slam him or her.
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thepro
Students pay a discounted fare, don't they? Back when I was a student we were required to give up our seats if an adult was standing because of this. Kids never do that over here in Japan.
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Rogerrabbitt
I agree with johnshiomi, moral education need to begin at home with parents taking responsibility and bringing their children up in a loving caring atmosphere. Johnshiomi is correct, as a teacher you get to know the parents long before you meet them!!
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pointofview
How about just fixing the income gaps in society? Geez that was easy... There
s is a moral education class at my JHS but I have no idea what they teach. But I dont think they learn about holding doors open for others, not using the word gaijin, treating the less fortunate with care and concern and keeping there school bags off train seats so others can sit down (usually I tell them to move their bags)etc. Morals will have to evolve in time and they should start at a very young age so they are somewhat innate.0
dennis0bauer
timorborder
because you cannot teach an old dog new tricks?
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ptolemy
Will the cirriculum include giving handicapped, pregnant women, and elderly their seats in the areas separated for them already. Will it include covering their mouths when they sneeze and cough in public. Sorry common sense cannot be taught. As far as morals are concerned if the parents aren't teaching them, then by middle school its a bit too late. Another example of pointing out a problem and the experts in the LDP haveing no solutions but announcing yet another "study". On top of the other 1000 studies currently under way.
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30061015
"Morals need boosting" implies that there ARE morals than can be boosted in the first place. What are these J-morals and how do you "boost" them? Who is this great keeper of morals, this judge of humanity in Japan that society should look up to?? Japan's subjective group morality morphs from one generation to the next and is reinforced by...? Who or what?
Government is amoral or immoral, so what will they base this morality booster on? Where does J-society get morals from? In Japan, he who holds the hammer makes the rules. When society breaks down, what then? The nail that sticks up will be hammered down. When the only tool you have is government, all your problems look like people. Japanese have been conditioned to be hammered, so I suspect that they will partake of whatever "shoganai" moral solutions pounded into them by Big Brother for the boosting of all.
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Disillusioned
Children are products of their environment. There is no point in teaching kids about the morals of society if their parents are complete donkey's butts, is there?
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khoki
where is great teacher onizuka when you need him?
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proxy
thepro Seniors get a discount too. The difference between now and the old days is that in the old days there were not that many old people kicking about so most of the time a young person could sit and it was not so burdensome to give up your seat to an old person because it didn't happen every day. There are too many "sempais" in Japan and not enough "kohais." The old people get upset because there demands for getting served by "kohais" cannot possible be met by the small number of young people and the young people are upset because there are too many "sempais" telling them what to do and so many demands that they simply cannot satisfy them all. Young people in Japan are saying "bugger you" to the never ending demands by all of the "sempais" and the old people are sending carefully crafted hand written letters to elected office holders to complain about not getting every demand made.
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sharky1
Crime prevention begins in the high chair, not the electric chair. Actually. now that I think about it, crime prevention ends in the electric chair.
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usaexpat
That's good but what exactly will this instruction include? By the way this is a secondary step as teaching morals and appropriate behavior needs to start at home.
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floyd_43
usaexpat is correct in saying that morals and appropriate behaviour should begin at home. But if it doesn't, then surely teaching it at school is better than nothing?! On the other hand, I don't find Japanese kids to be particularly lacking in morals, certainly no more than western kids. I would be very interested to hear of any statistics that show that juvenile crime in Japan is anywhere near the levels of many other countries. A lot of this is just a bunch of jii-chans and baa-chans with nothing better to do than spout the old "in my day..." clap-trap. Its about time they learnt that respect is something elders do NOT have an automatic right to, but something they need to earn, just like kids!
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Sammi33
The bullying situation in Japan is out of control, and I think Japanese kids need to be taught to have respect for their elders, and I think a lot would be acoomplished by giving teachers the ability to fail students. Many kids attitudes are "whatever, I can't fail anyway so why should I study?"
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samsarks
Bulying is everywhere around the globe and i must say japanese children are respectful than other kids around the world.Also,do not forget the differences in culture across countries.why do europeans and americans think their culture is the best and should be replicated around the world?.thier elders have not complained thus leave them alone and rather talk about gang rape and acts of hooliganism commited by kids in your respective countries.
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illsayit
Great! Does that mean the kids can do religion and comparitive studies?
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