If you compare the education of Japan to ours, you will see that they will slowly but surely surpass us even though that idea may seem pretty out of reach.

Well over 95% of Japanese are literate which is impressive since the Japanese language is one of the world's most difficult languages to read and write. Over 95% also graduate from high school compared to 88% of American students. Some Japanese education specialists estimate that the average Japanese high school graduate has attained about the same level of education as the average American after two years of college. Japanese employees of large companies and government ministries rank among the most well-educated workers on the planet.

Japanese students spend at least six weeks longer in school each year than American students since summer vacations in Japan only last half the time in most summer breaks in the United States but until the mid 1900s Japanese students attended school half days on Saturday.

We should do something with our education system or I think we'll be the ones struggling to catch up.

[Edited on 29-1-2004 by Morrison]

That's pretty bad. If you look at Americas education system, the curriculum of New York State compared to Alabama or most southern states is 1.5 grades higher. So 6th graders in New York are smarter then 8th graders in Alabama. I think the real reason there are less dropouts in Japan is because all the girls wear those hot schoolgirl outfits. Who WOULDN'T want to go to school and see that? As for attending school on Saturday, I don't think you will ever see more then a 5 day school week in the states. I'm really not surprised that Japan is ahead of us in the education department. Look at all the stuff they've contributed to the world of technology.

yes nearly every piece of new technology is created by Japan or distributed in Japan first before here, and their technology is the best, I mean look at their automobiles even

my dad owned a Toyota truck that he used to hunt with for 16 years and he never once took it in except for oil changes

But you are looking at it from an by the numbers point of view.

Think of it this way:

Japan and America are nose and nose when it comes to invention (not just technology).

But why if we are less educated. Here's the reason.

Japan
They are more educated on a whole, and the system is divided into area study before they hit college. They have a very logical idea of education.

They are tried and true. They are very institutional so they succeed.

America
We have a very independant college system. It is a personal ambition that gets someone into a career track. Then their own choice whether to follow a Master's Program or a PhD or Both.

Our system creates an atmosphere of do for yourself, and innovation.

We are out of the box thinkers and have such a diverse culture that we are creative in the extreme so we succeed as well.

Also, they have a smaller country so it is easier to manage.

yes I never said we weren't as successful, we are equally successful because we have our own way of doing things just like you explained, but I still wonder how we'll stand in comparison with Japan in any number of years if things don't change much as far as education for both countries

The literacy rate really is impressive. The written japanese language is HARD. I studied it for a few years, and I still remember the Hiragana and Katakana, but the Kanji! I know about 50 of them. Out of a few thousand.

yeah I heard it requires the average person in Japan to know thousands of characters just to read their newspaper

It does. I think one has to know approximately 1800-2000 Kanji to be considered literate, and then there are about 3500 characters in total.

can you imagine the intelligence of the average Joe in Japan if it takes that many characters to be considered literate, but then again, if an American child was brought up in Japan with the kind of schooling they have, I'm sure they wouldn't have a problem with it either

I would think so. I probably have more problems with it because I did my studying as an adult. Children can learn languages far more effectively and quicker.

yeah that makes sense, I've always wished my parents had me learn a second language as a child in maybe afterschool lessons because by now I would be fluent and it would definately help with better pay in any kind of profession I end up in

When I studied in University I had an excellent friend that was Chinese that lived a number of years in Tokyo.

He did most of his education there, from primary school all the way to a degree in Architecture.

He compared the education system to Canada where I met him, we were both studying business, and said that Japanese study a lot harder in High School but a lot less in University.

In other words Japanese do all the work in High School in order to get into University whereas getting into a good school allows you a good career and is most a socializing experience. In Canada, high school is more a socializing experience for many and when they hit university the real work begins. My friend said that University in Canada was much more difficult than in Japan and he couldn't believe that people had so much work that socialization had to take a back seat to studies.

I think that in the US it is much the same since the connections between the US and Canadian system (same textbooks much of the time), are well known in the academic community.

Education of the Chinese is something to be amazed off.
Thier education systems supercede ours by 200 percent, its simply embedded into thier membranes so deeply.

Education in the west is minimal in comparison.

Deep

I was never overwelmed by Chinese at anytime in my studies. In general I found that Chinese students were weak in language skills and verbalization. Furthermore depth of understanding in many issues was not that great. Numbers are annother issue as they excelled and did well almost across the board. My concern is valid because most professions require language skills and understanding as well as computational ability.

I knew many Chinese from all the asian countries and from China itself with many degrees even at advanced levels. They are good technicians most of them but not inspiring theoriticians. This is my observation.

They are good technicians most of them but not inspiring theoriticians. This is my observation.

True, the chinese seem to be amazing technicians, Though thier studies seem to vauge when it comes to the philisophy realm of the world( my experience anyways)

China is a growing economy.

Deep

Surprised that we agree on this, quite ironic when one considers the rich philosophic and spiritual history of china, and what most chinese had considered rudimentary perspectives in the past.

don't forget the Chinese philosopher "Confucious"

"Confucious say if you stand on toilet - you are high on pot"

Surprised that we agree on this, quite ironic when one considers the rich philosophic and spiritual history of china, and what most chinese had considered rudimentary perspectives in the past.

Did the chinese not stop most scientific endevours around the time of the Chu dinasty, Thus keeping technological advancments in limbo for a couple of hundred years?

On a philosophical and spritual aspect Im guessing that the chinese stoped at Conficuas, hey ones good enough.lol.

Deep

Originally posted by ZeroDeep
Education of the Chinese is something to be amazed off.
Thier education systems supercede ours by 200 percent, its simply embedded into thier membranes so deeply.

Education in the west is minimal in comparison.

Deep

That must be the reason why we have millions of students from all over the world coming here for University studies.

How many Westerners go to China or the Middle East or Africa for a University degree?

The Japanese do study very hard. But they also go to school six days a week, and have study classes on Sunday. Talk about stress.

They're schools are much cleaner and safer than ours here in the U.S., giving them more time to focus on studying, and less time worrying about getting shot.

Have you seen the schools in Chicago? In some, they have to have classes in hallways because of overcrowding. There are rat droppings in the cafeteria food. Sometimes there is no heat during the winter. The conditions are just appalling.

Yet we have 82 billion dollars to blow on Iraq.

Hmmmm........

yeah of course the government is going to take care of what THEY think is more important for our country before they take care of what the PEOPLE think is more important for the country IF they do what the people think is more important at ALL