EduCareer StaffBlog"Rinjin Blog" | "EduCareer"Supporting your career in English teaching in the Japanese school system

Society Must Value Overseas Study

2011/10/27

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In a Japan Times interview with education minister Masaharu Nakagawa, he expressed a desire to change Japanese society so overseas and intercultural experience will be more valued. According to Nakagawa, it's not that students aren't curious about visiting other countries and don't want to go abroad, it's that they are afraid of missing out on job opportunities in Japan as Japan has a fairly set hiring season, and taking a year before or after graduation puts you out of step with your peers.

"Unless we open up our system to the outside world, the whole (system) is going to shrink," Nakagawa said. "I would definitely like to discuss with business leaders the problems facing such youngsters."

One proposed solution has been a reverse-JET program, sending Japanese youth abroad to teach in schools and give them experience. Currently an exchange is being practiced with Japanese teachers of English, perhaps if it is successful more Japanese will have the chance to go abroad and overseas experience will be seen as an asset, not a detriment, to a candidate.

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