"Terakoya School" And The Course of Japanese Education Afterward
(Feb.10, Miyoshi-machi, Saitama pref.)
This picture is "Terakoya School" which restored and dismantled the one in Edo period.
"Terakoya", established in Edo period (from the first of 17th century to the mid-19th century), was a school system for the children of commoners to teach reading and writing.
In Edo period, though there were the public educational institutions aimed at the children of ruling classes, "samurai"(a warrior), but not for the common folks.
Therefore, "Terakoya" increased rapidly as the merchant classes gained power in the middle of the Edo period.
In Edo(a capital city of Japan at that time, the present Tokyo), from the end of 18th century to the first of19th century, the school attendance rate (including people who went to other places except Terakoya) exceeded 70%.
In Meiji era(from the mid-19th century to the first of 20th century), the modern educational system was framed in order that the whole nation should be educated. During the Edo Government had been isolated over 200 years, Japanede modernization was delayed in those days, and also the surrounding countries of Asia have belonged to European countries as colonies. Therefore, Japanese government needed to promote modernization as soon as possible and strengthen the nation's defense.
School system was established at an aim of training the people who would be useful for the nation's modernization and strengthening their army.
After the World War 2, miitaristically tinge was cleared away(from education) and training the people who would be useful for postwar rehabilitation and economic development was called for in the education.
In recent years, with the result of the phenomenon that children lose their concentration or patience easily, they got into trouble in the lesson, also their moral decay has become a subject of discussion.
The school education is pressed to transform how it should be.
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