Summary: From the view of public school teachers in Japan, I’ll tell you about inclusive education in Japan.
What is Inclusive education?
Inclusive education is the education that people with and without disability study together to make a better world and cherish the diversity.
According to “Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”, which Japan ratified in 2007, it said
Article 24 Education
1. States Parties recognize the right of persons with disabilities to education. With a view to realizing this
right without discrimination and on the basis of equal opportunity
Absolutely, it is a great idea. More international our society becomes, the more important diversity becomes. Whether people have any disabilities or not, many people should study. By doing this, our world must be better.
Inclusive education in Japan
To implement inclusive education in Japan, students who have disabilities go to regular classes. But, at the regular classes, teachers can’t see them anytime because each class has about 30 students. So they can’t get enough help from teachers.
There are special support schools and special support classes in Japan. These schools and classes carry out the special curriculum, so students with disabilities can study flexibly. In addition, there are not so many students there, so teachers can teach the students one by one and respectfully and efficiently. They also concentrate on studying.
If the students with disabilities would like to go to these schools, they can do so. However, some parents have a stereotype that special support schools and special support classes are not good places for their children. Such parents tend to dislike sending their children there. In fact, they can control whether children go to regular schools or special support schools.
Students with disabilities are out of hand at a regular class
Parents can send children in the regular classes. Concerning deaf students, blind students and students with serious intellectual disability, if everyone think they should go to special support school, they can go to the regular classes.
Teachers can never resist that students with heavy disability go to a regular school. This is because children have rights to study at will. If teachers protest, they might be able to be fired.
Japanese don’t know what education is
Education is important. Inclusive education is also important. However, Japanese don’t understand what education is best of all Japanese chirdren. Education is for children, not for adults and parents. Unless Japanese understand what education is for, Japan keep losing talents.