Sometimes we can hear that Japanese are so clever because their children study very much at school. In reality they study no more than any European child. The matter is that besides school they attend “juka” – the additional classes for entering the University or Higher School, but these courses are also widespread everywhere now.
According to the professionals, the scope of demands that is required from Japanese pupils doesn’t exceed the level that was required of Soviet pupils in 60-s. Though at that time the level of education in the USSR was the best in the world especially in natural sciences. We can remember – the first sputnik, the first man in the world in space… That’s why we can guess that the requirements for Japanese pupils are quite high.
As in European system of education in Japan they pay a lot of attention to learning by heart and cramming. In Japanese tradition it is believed that the school is the place where a child should learn how to be hardworking, industrious and diligent.
As we can see that for Japanese people the school is not only the place of getting knowledge but also the place for moral upbringing in the spirit of their traditions. These traditions were preserved through the centuries and still play an important role in Japanese society in spite of the constantly changing world.
The final Curious © phrase:
“Diligence is the mother of good luck”
(Japanese Proverb)
