bulan sabit: The Differences of Education System between Japan and Indonesia

The Differences of Education System between Japan and Indonesia

Abstract

This article explained about the education system in Japan as the country that gets the first rank in the terms of education quality and Indonesia as the country that included in the lower rank. Specifically, the writer will explain about five differences of education system between Japan and Indonesia. The writer will give more information and explanation about what are the things that differentiate both of countries in education system.

Keywords: Education system, education system in Japan, education system in Indonesia.

Introduction

Background

Japan is a country that gets the first rank in the terms of education quality while Indonesia is included in the lower rank, so what are the things that differentiate between these two countries especially in system of education?

“No country can really develop unless its citizens are educated” – Nelson Mandela

Education is the most important thing that supports a country to be developed because the country need good human resources and qualified to advance the nation. Wealth of natural resources cannot guarantee the progress of a nation without the support of qualified human resources. The wealth of natural resources is not enough to support the development of a country, the country most needs good and qualified people to be developed. In fact, Indonesia has more natural resources than Japan, but Japan is more advanced than Indonesia. It is because the quality of education in Japan is better than Indonesia, so it creates more qualified human resources. Sure, it is so tragic when the country that has more natural resources left behind and has no better quality of education than the country that has lesser natural resources.

In my discussion, I will explain more about five differences of education system between Japan and Indonesia.

Discussion

The Five Differences of Education System between Japan and Indonesia

I. The compulsory education in Japan and Indonesia is 9 years compulsory education (Elementary School and Junior High School), but different from Indonesia, compulsory education in Japan is considered by the government. In Japan, the government will give a punishment to the parents who have children at the age of compulsory education (6 – 15 years old) but they do not send their children to the school. While in Indonesia, the government pays little attention to the quality of education and the 9 years compulsory education. By giving the penalties or punishments imposed for parents in Japan who do not send their children who are at school age it is very little possibility of compulsory school age children in Japan who do not attend school.

II. The compulsory education in Japan is free (included registration fee, school fee, books and school facilities) but for cost of lunch, field trip, outings, and stationary, parents will bear its own costs. For the costs of uniform, in Japan there is no cost for it because students in Japan are not wearing uniform; they are free to wear their own clothes. While in Indonesia, there is registration fee, tuition payment each month, and additional costs such as the purchase of textbooks, students’ worksheets, stationary, uniform, field trip, etc. But for the cost of secondary education (Senior High School), in Japan is the same as in Indonesia, school fee borne by parents because of high school in Japan is not included in the compulsory education, so that its costs is not borne by the government. Based on the school fees both of countries, Japan has very small possibility of compulsory school age children to do not attend school so Japan produce more qualified human resources than Indonesia.

III. The qualifications of high school teachers in Japan are educated master (S2) with first class teaching certificate and teachers who educated doctors (S3) who have second class teaching certificate. While the qualifications of high school teachers in Indonesia have a minimum academic qualification Diploma 4 (D4) or Bachelor (S1) study program in accordance with the subjects taught and acquired from courses that were accredited. According to the qualifications of high school teachers both of the countries, especially the educational background of teachers, Japan is better than Indonesia in the term of teaching. Teachers in Japan are having the ability and opportunity to advance the education quality than teachers in Indonesia.

IV. In the terms of assessment and curriculum, subjects were given in Japan is almost the same as in Indonesia, but Japan did not include subject of religious education at all levels of schooling (separated religious education with schooling), while in Indonesia, religious education is compulsory subjects for each level of schooling. In Japan there is no National Examination (UN) like the one in Indonesia. Basic education in Japan does not recognize the class promotion test, but students who have completed the learning process in the classroom will automatically be upgraded to grade 2, and so on. The final exam was not there, because the primary and secondary school education still includes compulsory group or elementary education, so that students who have finished their studies at the primary level can apply directly to the Junior High School. While in Indonesia, has always held a class promotion test for students who will go up to grade two and so on. There is also a national examination for students who want to graduate from basic education and secondary education. Students need to take the national examination and they must pass the exam to continue their education level. Assessment of learning process in Japan is done with daily tests aimed to check student comprehension. Assessment replications do not use numbers but with the letters: A, B, C, except for math. IQ tests conducted in grade 4 to grade 6 to see the basic abilities of students. This data is not used to classify students based on his IQ test results, but to give more attention to students with abilities above normal or below normal. Japanese students are not grouped by skill, but all children are considered "could" follow the lessons, so that the class contains students with diverse academic abilities. At the middle and high school level there are two examinations, that are mid-test and final test, but not compulsive nor national. In some prefectures (regions) which carry out the test, the final test was held simultaneously for three days, with the test material prepared by the school based on the standard of Educational Boards in each prefecture. Assessment graduation high school students are not based on the results of the final test, but the accumulation of daily test scores, extracurricular, mid-test and final test. With a system like this, of course, almost 100% of students to the next grade or can pass. In contrast to Indonesia who know the system of two semesters, schools in Japan are still using the system include quarterly or three terms, quarterly I is from April to July, September and December include to quarterly II, and quarterly III from January to March. There the longest holiday in August-September, i.e. for 40 days (summer holiday).

V. In general educational purposes, Japan prioritizes the development of personality as a whole, respect individual value, and instills a free spirit. While in Indonesia, the education aims to make students become religious and pious, noble, healthy, knowledgeable, skilled, creative, independent, and become citizens of a democratic and responsible.

Conclusion

Based on the explanation and the discussion, the writer can conclude that there are many aspects that differentiate education system in Japan and Indonesia. Of course, this affects the quality of education between the two countries. Japanese education system is able to produce high quality education and of course also create qualified human resources so that Japan is more advanced than Indonesia in the terms of education quality. Education system in Indonesia needs more attention to be addressed again in order to compete with other countries, especially Asian countries due to the low quality of education in Indonesia compared to other Asian countries. Indonesia needs to follow the example of the education system in Japan as the country that gets the first rank in the terms of education quality.

“A quality education grants us the ability to fight the war on ignorance and poverty” – Charles B. Rangel