education

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Value of fundamental education law rediscovered at teachers meeting
Akahata, editorial (excerpt)

"It's wonderful to take part in this meeting," said a 25-year-old woman teacher after reporting about her class at a school for handicapped children. She said that other participants' comments on her report give her inspiration for her own class.

Her words illustrate how participants value the annual National Meeting for Educational Study held August 17-20 in Saitama Prefecture organized by the All Japan Teachers and Staff Union (Zenkyo) and 14 other organizations.

The teacher also said that she has come to realize how her class is related to the Fundamental Law of Education. A performance in which young people read all articles of the law encouraged her to make her class more enjoyable

This year's National Meeting for Educational Study took place while the Diet is carrying over the discussion on a bill adversely revising the Fundamental Law of Education to the next Diet session. The government bill aims to completely change the purpose of education from the "perfection of human character" of each child to the "production of humans who obey national policies."

The National Meeting for Educational Study has worked to provide an education that guarantees each child's development as human beings through the widest possible cooperation of the public, thus confronting head on the government attempt to adversely revise the law. In the opening plenary session (August 17), a series of working sessions (August 18-19), and an education forum (August 20), participants discussed ways to promote education based on respect and trust in children who are the protagonists of their own social development.

Teachers at a junior high school in Osaka gained the trust of parents and students who deeply distrusted their teachers at the time of entrance into the school. Aiming at making an unforgettable graduation ceremony after three years of school life, the teachers from the beginning exerted their energy to foster a sense of self-affirmation among the students and to care for the parents as well.

Now that Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro's "structural reform" policy is increasing the social gap and creating further divisions, many participants expressed the need to build a close tie among children, parents, and teachers.

Following the adverse revision of the Fundamental Law of Education, the government intends to carry out a national achievement test which will intensify competition between children and increase the gap in education. A board of education member of Inuyama City in Aichi Prefecture at the education forum said, "As our city aims at the 'perfection of human character,' it will not adopt the national achievement test."

Those high school students who are opposed to mergers or the closing down of their schools, are carrying out peace actions, or are active in calling for financial aid to private schools encouraged the participants. Parents also actively took part in the discussion.

Let's work together to scrap the bill to adversely revise the Fundamental Law of Education!
- Akahata, August 21, 2006