End of Club Activities
In Japan, the new work year and new school year begin the first of April. There are entrance ceremonies at work places and schools. It’s a busy time for moving companies and apartment rentals, and the time for a new start. In addition to academics, junior high and high school students choose a club or extra curricular activity to be involved in. Many schools make these club or sports activities mandatory.
Not everyone agrees that these club activities are good. The city of Kobe has announced it will be completely eliminating all junior high school teams and clubs beginning this school year. The city’s board of education gives two reasons for their decision. With the falling birthrate in Japan, the board states it is more and more difficult to maintain clubs and athletic programs with such small enrollments. There aren’t enough student members to fill the roster and it is not practical to make use of facilities for small groups. The second reason is the time demands for school teachers who are the club coaches and advisors. Teachers work long hours, and the board of education is concerned about teachers being overworked.
The city plans to establish a system called Kobe Katsu (Kobe extra curricular activities), where students can participate in non-school sports and cultural activities as replacements for the previous school sponsored activities. This sounds like a greater opportunity to match students with their interests and to meet people outside their own schools.
Kobe Board of Education head Yaunori Fukamoto is optimistic about the plan, the first of its kind in Japan, saying, “We hope this will allow students, according to their individual circumstances, to make their own choices about how to use their time.”
4 comments:
What a great idea - I hope it catches on!
I'm in two minds about this idea.
Personally, if I were a student in Kobe, I would welcome the idea as I like to spend my after-school hours 'my way', stitching, reading, cooking, going for walks, studying what I find interesting...
I also disagree with the idea that every weekend, as well as the spring, summer and winter vacations, should be dedicated to club activities. Why have vacations when you can't be free?
However, I am sure a lot of students need to get guidance and being occupied with basketball or the school's brass band is a good way to keep them on the right track and off the streets. It is also excellent for team building and making friends.
This seems like a great idea! Students need to be seriously focused on academics and educational monies should be directed toward such learning.
I think clubs (or what ever Kobe is doing now, that sounds smarter even) are a good idea, but making them mandatory is not. When I was in school, there would have been no quicker way to make me not want to join a club, than making me force to pick one!
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