日本將會恢復學校每週上課６日制

Last month the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following;

下村文部科学相は１５日、閣議後の記者会見で、公立小中高校の土曜授業を復活させる学校週６日制について「どのような課題があるのか、省内で整理している」と述べ、導入に向けた検討を始めたことを明らかにした。

　授業時間を増やして学力向上を図る狙いがあるが、教員の増員など課題も多く、実現までには曲折も予想される。

　下村氏は記者会見で、週６日制復活について、保護者の８割超が賛成しているという調査結果を紹介した上で、「世論の理解はある」と語った。文科省は今後、導入に向けた課題を整理した上で、具体的なスケジュールなどを詰める考えだ。自民党は先の衆院選政権公約で、土曜授業の復活を盛り込んでいた。

　学校週５日制は、「ゆとり教育」の一環として、１９９２年９月から月１回、９５年度から月２回と段階的に試行され、２００２年度から完全実施された。その後、児童・生徒の学力低下が指摘されるようになり、安倍首相は第１次安倍内閣当時、学習指導要領改定の検討に際し、「脱ゆとり教育」を掲げた。０８年に告示された新学習指導要領では授業時間が増え、東京都など一部の自治体では土曜授業を実施するようになっている。

（2013年1月15日19時21分 読売新聞）

(試譯文)

On the 15^th (January) at the press conference after a cabinet meeting Shimomura, the Minister for Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, touched on the 6-day school week system and the revival of the Saturday lesson in public primary schools and junior and senior high schools. He said that"arrangement is on hand in the department to look into what kind of subjects to face with" and showed clearly that an examination towards its introduction had begun.

  Although it was aiming at the goal to increase school hours and to improve academic ability, there were also many subjects such as an increase in teaching personnel. A winding path for its realization was also expected.

  At the press conference Mr. Shimomura, after introducing the results of an investigation which showed that more than 80 percent of the guardians would agree with the revival of a six-day week system, mentioned that "there is an understanding in public opinion". From now on the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, after overhauling the issues towards its introduction, intended to pack a concrete schedule etc. The Liberal Democratic Party incorporated the revival of the Saturday lesson as a policy pledge in its previous Lower House election

  The five-day week school system was tried gradually from September 1992 as part of "pressure-free education" starting from 1 time per month, and in 1995 fiscal year 2 times per month, and full enforcement was carried out from the 2002 fiscal year. Then, it was pointed out that there was a decline in academic achievement of children and students. Prime Minister Abe at the first Abe Cabinet while reviewing the government-guidelines-for-teaching amendment, raised the idea of "reversing the pressure- free education". In the new guidance on study announced in 2008, school hours had been increased, and Saturday lessons were carried out in some self-governing bodies such as Tokyo.

My feeling is that in Asia the concept of “pressure-free education” has no market. So the traditional way of education will return to Japan after trying it for more than a decade.