August 4, 2016 • mccsokinawa.com
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T
hough summer break for American students is nearing an end, the Japanese school year— which starts in April and ends in March—is in full swing. In Japan, students must pass an entrance exam before getting accepted into high school (high school is not mandatory in Japan, but about 90 percent of children attend). This usually translates into students enrolling in cram schools (juku). Juku is school after school. A 12-hour day of schooling isn’t uncommon in Japan. For a student to get into a good college, he or she needs to
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get into a good high school. So, the education and decisions of a junior high schooler have a significant impact on their future. High school introduces vocational studies such as agriculture, art and engineering. High schools in Japan are ranked, much like American universities are, for their strengths in certain programs. Students often aim to be accepted into a school that ranks high in the area they want to pursue. Sound stressful? In addition to all of this, Japanese summer vacation is a mere four to five weeks and comes with homework.
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"If you’re looking to get back into school, check out page 3..."
If you’re looking to get back into school, check out page 3 for details on MCCS Education Centers' Open Houses, or visit mccsokinawa.com/ educationandcareerservices.
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