A 2016 OECD report on the state of education in Japan (embedded below) makes for interesting reading.
The report presents some interesting data points, the most salient of which are listed below. Although not specific to English language education, the findings have implications on the shape of various English language programs that schools design and implement in their (and the government's) desire to improve the effectiveness of English language teaching and learning at primary and secondary schools nationwide.
The Positives
- Both private and public expenditure per student has increased.
- Access to all levels of education is high compared to other OECD nations.
- Classes in primary and secondary schools are overly large.
- Teacher working time is significantly above the OECD average...
- ...although pre-tertiary level teachers are required to spend a lot of time at school compared to teachers from other OECD nations, actual teaching time is significantly less than at other OECD nation schools.
- Compared to other OECD nations, women teachers are significantly under-represented from primary school upward.
- Contrary to the OECD trend, men are more likely to move on to higher levels of tertiary education than women are.
- When men & women of equivalent educational qualifications are compared, a huge disparity in salaries is evident, in favour of men.
- INEXPENSIVE Early childhood education in Japan is one of the least expensive among OECD nations.
- EXPENSIVE Tertiary education tuition fees are among the highest in the OECD.
- PRIVATE EXPENDITURE Japan - along with South Korea - have the highest level of tertiary-level private expenditure among OECD nations).
- GDP Japan commits a relatively low proportion of its GDP to education, particularly when looking at pre-primary and post-secondary domains.
- GETTING PAID Although salaries for primary- and secondary school teachers have actually declined, salaries are still above the OECD average.