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

8th November 2014

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 Buddhismhttp://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/japan.htm

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 preschool education

Day nurseries (hoikuen)

Preschools/

Kindergarten (yōchien)

http://www.usjp.org/jpeducation_en/jpEdPrimary_en.html

ECEC in Japan 日本Day nurseries

(hoiku-en保育園)Kindergartens

(yōchien幼稚園)

Target Age From birth to 6 From age 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, full time (up to 11 hours)

4 hours a day, till lunch time-2 o’clock

Jurisdiction/Governing Body

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)

Admission Criteria Private contact with parents/guardian; sometimes there 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

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

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

ECEC in Japan 日本: Curriculum

Kindergartens (yōchien幼稚園)

National Curriculum Standards for Kindergartens

• Each kindergarten should maintain its originality, and formulate a curriculum appropriate to young childʼs development 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.

Kindergartens (yōchien幼稚園)

National Curriculum Standards for Kindergartens

HealthHuman

RelationshipsEnvironment

Language Expression Manners

Day nurseries (hoiku-en保育園)

Guidelines for Nursery at Day CaresThere 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 “Ninka Hoikuen” in Japanese, or just “Hoikuen”

for short)

Privately Operated Authorised Nursery Schools

Certified Daycare Centres

(Ninsho-Hoikusho)

Nursery Rooms

(Hoiku-shitsu)

Nursery Mommies (Hoiku-mama)

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 Daycare Centres)

(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 )

ありがとうございますArigatou gozaimasu