More and more children in Japan are ‘leaving’ the formal school system as they say it makes them miserable. It appears many children experience bullying and do not engage with such a formal education. Is home education the way forward?
As a result of this children are taking an alternative type of schooling ‘futoko’ which means non-attendance. They pretty much do as they like and don’t gain any qualifications. This will have serious knock on effects in the future.
While our school system is anything but perfect for many it works. For those that struggle in the school system there is the option to home educate. Many parents are opting for home education. For many this is because the school system does not offer what they need. Many special needs are not being addressed properly in schools and this is causing a high level of anxiety in children. We are now in a system where data and results are more highly valued than the well-being of our children. A child will not learn if their emotional needs are not put first. If their heads are full of anxiety and depressive thoughts there is not the capacity to take in more. Many teachers now have a full time teaching job and are also juggling the effects of this system too and playing social worker come counsellor.
Why is it that we continue to push our children into systems that we have had for centuries. Our world is changing so quickly – is education keeping up?
BBC News – Why so many Japanese children refuse to go to schoolhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-50693777
