英語えいごなどで授業じゅぎょうの小中しょうちゅう学校がっこう この5年ねんで2倍ばい近ちかくに 人気にんきの理由りゆうは

It has been learned from interviews with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology that over the past five years, the number of elementary and junior high schools offering compulsory education with special permission to conduct classes in English or other languages has nearly doubled.

In recent years, many international schools that are gaining popularity are not compulsory education institutions, and experts analyze that there is a growing demand for children to take classes in English at regular schools.

In principle, compulsory education schools conduct classes based on the national curriculum guidelines, but if they receive government approval, they can conduct classes such as math or social studies in foreign languages like English.

According to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, as of this April, all schools providing such special education with government approval are private elementary and junior high schools, totaling 49 schools in 16 prefectures.

Looking at the breakdown, there are 26 elementary schools and 23 junior high schools, which is nearly double the 27 schools in 2020.

In recent years, international schools that conduct classes in English and other languages have become popular as well, but many of them are not so-called Article 1 schools as defined by law, and their tuition fees can also be quite expensive.

Therefore, if parents send their children to such a school, it may be considered a violation of the compulsory education law under the School Education Act, and there is a possibility that the child may not be recognized as having graduated from elementary school or similar institutions.

“Over 60% of classes in English” — With the establishment of a new international course, the competition rate has increased to more than four times. Last year, a private elementary school in Tokyo, which newly established an international course in compulsory education, conducts over 60% of its classes in English, attracting a lot of popularity.

At a private elementary school in Setagaya, Tokyo, a new International Course with a capacity of 36 students was established last year with government approval, aiming to nurture individuals who can thrive globally.

In the International Course, over 60% of classes, including math, science, and music, are taught entirely in English.

In addition to the Japanese homeroom teacher, two foreign teachers also join the class, and we create an environment where students can be exposed to more English by using textbooks that are English translations of the Japanese textbooks.

In the math class on the day of the interview, the students announced the answers to addition problems in English, and formed groups of three to ask each other questions in English.

At the school, we plan to incorporate exchanges with students from partner schools overseas and study experiences abroad, aiming for students to acquire English proficiency equivalent to Eiken Grade 2, which is considered the level of a high school graduate, over the six years until graduation.

According to the school, the annual tuition is just over 1 million yen, which is kept lower compared to some international schools where the tuition can be in the 3 million yen range.

The response from parents was significant, with more than 100 applicants last year—over three times the capacity—and this year, there were even more applicants, exceeding four times the capacity.

Principal Takashi Maeda of Showa Womens University Showa Elementary School said, While there is a demand to improve childrens English skills, as an Article 1 school—what is considered a regular school—there is also a need to ensure that students learn Japanese thoroughly.

I feel that you chose this school as a result of thinking broadly about your childs future, he said.

Parents: Peace of mind from compulsory education Parents who send their children to the International Course at this elementary school feel that the environment, where their children can learn English as part of the compulsory education curriculum, is very appealing.

Mr. and Mrs. Shinoda, whose daughter is in the second grade of elementary school and attends the “International Course,” have wanted her to become familiar with English from a young age, so they have been sending her to facilities that focus on English education since she was in kindergarten.

When entering elementary school, they considered international schools as one of the options, but the main obstacle was that many of them are not recognized as compulsory education schools.

Since they are not narrowing down their childs future path to overseas options, they felt uneasy about the fact that, unless there are special circumstances, students from international schools generally cannot advance to domestic junior high schools.

On the other hand, it is said that a deciding factor was also the ability to study subjects like Japanese language and morals in Japanese, in accordance with the curriculum guidelines, not just English at this school.

Ms. Natsumi Shinoda, the mother, said, While there are some hurdles to sending my child to an international school, I think being able to learn English within the Japanese school curriculum is a huge attraction.

Expert: More schools are expected to open in the future. International education critic Manabu Murata, who is knowledgeable about international schools and foreign language education, says, More parents want their children to receive compulsory education in English, so these schools are gaining popularity.

However, the number is still small and has not caught up with demand, so it is expected that more schools will open in the future, he said.

Regarding the increase in elementary and junior high schools offering compulsory education in foreign languages, Ms. Murata points out that the rapid rise in early childhood facilities where children can learn English is a factor. She notes, With the reduction of parents financial burden thanks to free early childhood education and care, the number of such facilities has increased to over 700, and more families want their children to attend elementary schools where they can continue learning in English after graduation.

On top of that, it is analyzed that since attending international schools is often not considered as having received compulsory education, more parents want their children to study compulsory subjects in English, which is making these schools increasingly popular.

Furthermore, these compulsory education schools are often less expensive than international schools, and the increase in dual-income households with a strong interest in education is also contributing to this trend.

Mr. Murata said, Currently, there are still only a few compulsory education schools where students can study in English, so in some cases, parents send their children to international schools because there arent any in their area.

The educational environment and systems have not caught up with the need to have children learn in English, and it is expected that more schools will open in the future, he said.