Japanese Education System: Culture, Stress, and Academic Results Compared to Spain

Dear Sara,

Comparing Education: Japan vs. Spain

I hope this letter finds you well and that everything is going great in Japan. I was recently reading about the Japanese education system and was amazed at how different it is from ours in Spain!

Cultural and Operational Differences

Several key operational aspects distinguish the two systems:

• School Maintenance and Meals: In Japan, students and teachers are responsible for cleaning the school and preparing lunch. This contrasts sharply with Spain, where we rely on dedicated janitors and cooks.
• Academic Calendar: The Japanese school year runs from April to March, while the Spanish academic year traditionally begins in September.
• Time Commitment: Japanese students dedicate significantly more hours to extracurricular activities and remedial (revision) classes.

Japanese Education: Benefits and Drawbacks

Advantages of the Japanese System

Based on my reading, some highly positive aspects include:

• The emphasis on extensive extracurricular activities and dedicated revision classes.
• The provision of free textbooks for students in primary and secondary school.

Challenges in Japanese Schools

However, there are also notable drawbacks:

• A limited number of holidays compared to Spain.
• The requirement for students and teachers to handle all cleaning duties due to the absence of janitorial staff.

Stress, Creativity, and Well-being

Personally, I find myself preferring the Spanish education system. While Japan achieves excellent academic results, its approach can often be perceived as highly rigid and stressful.

In contrast, the Spanish system tends to place a higher value on creativity. Furthermore, the atmosphere in Spanish schools is generally less stressful, which I believe contributes to healthier development and better overall well-being for the students.

By the way, how is your school year progressing? I hope to hear from you soon.

Best regards,

Ángela