This document provides information about early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Japan. It discusses the two main types of ECEC arrangements in Japan - day nurseries (hoikuen) which provide care for children from birth to age 6, and kindergartens (youchien) which provide education for children ages 3 to 6. It outlines the target ages, purposes, operating hours, governing bodies, admission criteria, curriculum standards, teacher-student ratios, funding sources, and parental costs for both day nurseries and kindergartens in Japan. It also discusses key features of the Japanese ECEC system including collaboration between teachers and universities, relationships between classrooms and teacher training, philosophical approaches, and diversity of EC
2. Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) in Japan 日本
Prepared and presented by:
SITI NOOR FAUZIAH ABD RAHIM
PH.D RESEARCHER
KULLIYYAH OF EDUCATION
INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA
for EDP 7114 Teaching and Learning for Young Children
8thNovember 2014
3. Japan 日本-Profile
•Official name: Japan. Local name: Nihon (Nippon)
•Local Time : + 1h (Malaysian time)
•Capital city: Tokyo
•Government: Constitutional monarchy with a parliament government
•Geography: Eastern Asia, island between North Pacific Ocean and Sea of Japan, east of Korean Peninsular
•Area: 377 864 sq.km.
•People, Nationality: Japanese, Language:Japanese
•Population: 128 million (2012)
•Ethic group: Japanese
•Religion: Shinto and Buddhism
http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/japan.htm
4. ECEC in Japan 日本
•Under Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) -emphasized the importance of “Starting Strong” in child care and education.
•Japan has 2 types of arrangement for preschooleducation
Day nurseries (hoikuen)
Preschools/
Kindergarten (yōchien)
http://www.usjp.org/jpeducation_en/jpEdPrimary_en.html
5. ECEC in Japan 日本
Day nurseries
(hoiku-en保育園)
Kindergartens
(yōchien幼稚園)
TargetAge
Frombirth to 6
Fromage 3 to 6
Purpose/Basic role
Provide care to infants and young children due to parents’ work, illness, etc.
(welfare facility for working parents)
Provide a suitable environment that helps young children grow and develop their minds and bodies (Language, health, human relationship,expression,
environment) (Academic Instruction)
Childcare time
8 hours a day, fulltime
(up to 11 hours)
4 hoursa day, till lunch time-2 o’clock
Jurisdiction/
GoverningBody
Ministry of Health,Labour and Welfare (MHLW)
Ministry of Education, Culture,Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
Admission Criteria
Private contact with parents/guardian; sometimesthere are entrance examinations
Placement by municipalities through theassessment of parents' or guardians’ income
Curriculum
Guidelines for Nursery at Day Cares
National Curriculum Standards for Kindergartens
Number of children
2,015,000 (2007)
Public(945, 000), Private (1,071,000)
1,705,000 (2007)
Public(338,000), Private (1,368,000)
Teacher-student ration
0 year old: 1:3
1~2 year old: 1:6
3 year old: 1:20
4~5 year old: 1:30
Max 1:35
6.
7. ECEC in Japan 日本:Funding resources and parental cost of ECEC
Nation
Prefecture to-dō-fu-ken
(都道府県?)
District
Parents
Parental cost
Public kindergarten
nearly 0%
-
90.1%
9.9%
75,000 yen/year
Private kindergarten
8.1%
26.2%
6.3%
59.4%
242,000 yen/year
Day nursery (all age)
27.6%
13.8%
13.8%
44.8%
300,000 yen/year (varies according to family income, age, hours)
Day nursery (3 years and older)
19.5%
9.8%
9.8%
61%
-
https://www.nier.go.jp/04_kenkyu_annai/pdf/FinalRepoECEC.pdf
8. ECEC in Japan 日本:Four features of Japanese ECEC
Classroom teachers of early childhood education collaborate with researchers at
universities and similar institutions to review the practice and strive toward its
improvement.
Close relationship between the classroom and teacher training school.
Several philosophical streams in early childhood education, with distinct methodologies for each. However, in actual practice, these streams are not applied mechanically but with flexibility, based upon a finely tuned approach to the life and actions of each individual child.
Early childhood education comes in a diverse array of forms.
https://www.nier.go.jp/04_kenkyu_annai/pdf/FinalRepoECEC.pdf
12. Kindergartens (yōchien幼稚園)
National Curriculum Standards for Kindergartens
•Each kindergarten should maintain its originality, and formulate a curriculum appropriate to young childʼsdevelopment of mind and body and to the context of the kindergarten and its local community, in accordance with the Law and the National Curriculum Standards for Kindergartens provided.
13. Kindergartens (yōchien幼稚園)
National Curriculum Standards for Kindergartens
Health
Human Relationships
Environment
Language
Expression
Manners
14. Day nurseries (hoiku-en保育園)
Guidelines for Nursery at Day Cares
There are many different day-care options that may offer a vastly different experience depending on which you choose
http://www.japanfamilyguide.com/childcare/45-childcare-options-in-japan
City Operated Authorised Nursery Schools
(called “NinkaHoikuen” in Japanese, or just “Hoikuen” for short)
Privately Operated Authorised Nursery Schools
Certified DaycareCentres
(Ninsho-Hoikusho)
Nursery Rooms
(Hoiku-shitsu)
Nursery Mommies (Hoiku- mama)
15. Day nurseries (hoiku-en保育園)
http://www.japanfamilyguide.com/childcare/45-childcare-options-in-japan
Day Nurseries
Authorized Nursery Schools “Minimum Standards for Child Welfare Facilities”
Non-Authorized Nursery Schools (Certified DaycareCentres)
(obligated to accept children under the age of one and operate for 13 or more hours per day. Standards regarding the number of nursery nurses and the size of nursery facilities are consistent with authorized nursery schools.)
Nursery Rooms
(small-scale private nursery facilities that provide childcare for infants (under 3 years old) after maternity leave has expired (from 43 days after birth).
Nursery Mommies
(individuals meeting certain qualifying prerequisites set by Setagaya City, look after small groups of up to 2 to 5 children in a family atmosphere, and allow them to grow up in a carefree manner, whilst respecting each child’s individuality)