Japanese kids show no weakening in academic skills: national exam

Saturday 30th August, 07:19 AM JST

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11 Comments

serindipity at 11:57 AM JST - 30th August

A result like this makes me wonder how many of the kids were given answers before the test or if the results have been fiddled with, as per previous similar exams.
Statistician at 03:06 PM JST - 30th August

If you believe this kind of loaded political statistic you will believe that the moon is made of green cheese.
fatloser at 03:29 PM JST - 30th August

How much knowledge do any of us need to become drones and reproduce? It would be more interesting to know who their idols are and what the read,eat and watch on tv. And what % are contemplating murder!!
presto345 at 07:24 PM JST - 30th August

Academic skills can never be accurately evaluated by standard tests students have been drilled to participate in. Wouldn't it be a better idea to gather facts of all students' progress in a national data base and use that as a reference point to decide on education tactics?
borscht at 08:57 AM JST - 31st August

Statistician,

It isn't?
medievaltimes at 09:24 AM JST - 31st August

For the amount of studying Japanese kids do, they seem really uneducated to me.

There seems to be no ability for abstract thinking. No ability for independent thought. No ability for debate. No ability for even the most basic of logical thinking. And a shockingly large number of people think Japan is the only country in the world with four seasons.
mikihouse at 10:37 AM JST - 31st August

Japan don't need abstract thinkers, debaters, and logical thinkers. They need dumb people who will keep on voting the LDP into power, never question anything fed upon them by corrupt officials, and yes they make good drones for the next job.
borscht at 01:56 PM JST - 31st August

Japan needs abstract and logical thinkers and people who can debate their opinions because they don't have any right now. ("It's the Japanese way." Is Not a defense.) As for the amount of time Japanese kids study... are they 'studying' or are they 'in school.' Two very different activities. I would say, though, that given the number of kids who spend hours and hours at a juku, they really are mis-educated.
rjd_jr at 03:10 PM JST - 31st August

Great news, once again confounding the naysayers full of doom and gloom for Japanese youth.
MrMukatsuku at 04:14 PM JST - 31st August

Japanese examiners show no weakening in academic skills

If you wanted to stay employed - Would you tell your boss that you couldn't do your job?

Slacken the marking criteria and hey presto - everyone's a genius.
angeljapan at 08:51 AM JST - 4th September

Considering how in the junior high school I work at, the passing grade is 30%.... I wonder what the official passing grade for this exam was?