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August 20, 2015 • mccsokinawa.com
okinawalivingweekly School in Japan
End of Summer Family Night
From top left: monkeybusinessimages/bigstock.com, smithore/bigstock.com
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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. School is taken seriously in Japan. Students must pass an entrance exam just to get into high school (going to high school is not mandatory in Japan, but about 90 percent of children do). This usually translates into students having to enroll in cram schools (juku). Juku is school after school. A 12hour day full of schooling isn’t uncommon in Japan. For a student to get into a good college, he or she needs to get into a good high school first. So
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the education and decisions one makes when he or she is in junior high (between ages 12 and 15) has a major impact on their future. High school also introduces vocational studies, such as agriculture, art and engineering. As such, high schools in Japan are ranked, much like American universities, 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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et together with the family before school starts and everyone returns to their hectic schedules. Family Fun Nights make going out with the family much easier. These events are made for families and their children, so you can bring the little ones with the comfort of knowing that it will be completely kid-friendly. Come to Ocean Breeze on Camp Foster on August 26 and Tengan Castle on Camp Courtney on August 27 for End of Summer Family Fun Night. Both events will run from 5 to 9 p.m. and will feature a night of fun activities and prizes sponsored by Mattel and Moon Ocean Hotel and Residence. Of course, there will also be an all-you-can-eat buffet filled with items that everyone can enjoy. Prices are $7.95 for adults, $3.95 for children 5 to 11 and children under 5 are free.
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