The are privately-run schools marketed to students who are taking examinations held each year in Japan from January to March to determine college admissions. The students generally graduated from high school but failed to enter the school of their choice. The test, unlike the French baccalauréat and the South Korean College Scholastic Ability Test, has different versions, with different schools looking for results from different exams. In Japan, the test is generally considered the most important event in a child's education. Students who fail may spend a year or more studying to retake the examination. They are colloquially referred to as rōnin. Yobiko are similar to juku except for differences such as curriculum, legal status, and the main type of students who attend (yobiko are mainly focused on students attempting college admission exams, while juku mainly focus on younger students and are not necessarily focused on entrance exams).Blumenthal, Tuvia (1992). "Japan's Juken Industry." Asian Survey. University of California Press. 32 (5): 448–60Tsukada, Mamoru (1988). "Institutionalised Supplementary Education in Japan: The Yobiko and Ronin Student Adaptations." Comparative Education. Taylor & Francis. 24 (3): 285–303
Legal status They are for-profit private corporationsTsukada, Mamoru (1988). "Institutionalised Supplementary Education in Japan: The Yobiko and Ronin Student Adaptations". Comparative Education. Taylor & Francis. 24 (3): p.301 that are officially listed as schools by Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.Blumenthal, Tuvia (1992). "Japan's Juken Industry". Asian Survey. University of California Press. 32 (5): 448–60. At the municipal level, they are supervised by boards of education.Blumenthal, Tuvia (1992). "Japan's Juken Industry". Asian Survey. University of California Press. 32 (5): 448–60 Even so, they are subject to little supervision, as compliance with regulations for physical conditions what is mainly checked, and curriculum and teacher salaries are not inspected.Blumenthal, Tuvia (1992). "Japan's Juken Industry". Asian Survey. University of California Press. 32 (5): 448–60
Types Yobikō mainly differ by the number of enrolled students. The most numerous are those for each city, and each has less than 500 students.Tsukada, Mamoru (1988). "Institutionalised Supplementary Education in Japan: The Yobiko and Ronin Student Adaptations". Comparative Education. Taylor & Francis. 24 (3): p.287-288 National yobikō, called mammoth yobikō, have 10,000 students or more.Tsukada, Mamoru (1988). "Institutionalised Supplementary Education in Japan: The Yobiko and Ronin Student Adaptations". Comparative Education. Taylor & Francis. 24 (3): 288 Some also prepare students to pass specialized entrance exams such as those for medical and art schools and have less than 100 students and typically charge higher tuition than other types.Tsukada, Mamoru (1988). "Institutionalised Supplementary Education in Japan: The Yobiko and Ronin Student Adaptations". Comparative Education. Taylor & Francis. 24 (3): 288
Structure Curriculum Designed to prepare students to pass college entrance exams, the curriculum had memorization of facts and learning of exam-taking skills.Blumenthal, Tuvia (1992). "Japan's Juken Industry". Asian Survey. University of California Press. 32 (5): 456 A study of a typical yobikōTsukada, M. (1988b). The yobiko, the institutionalized supplementary educational institution in Japan: A study of the social stratification process (Doctoral dissertation) p. 44-49 found that the curriculum consisted of studying questions that were on previous exams, specific ways to improve answers, and specific subject topics that would be covered in the exam.
Personnel The teaching personnel is variety of teachers; mostly employed and casual part-time teachers such as retired teachers and teachers affiliated with another school.Blumenthal, Tuvia (1992). "Japan's Juken Industry". Asian Survey. University of California Press. 32 (5): 455 A few are regular full-time teachers.Blumenthal, Tuvia (1992). "Japan's Juken Industry". Asian Survey. University of California Press. 32 (5): 455
Students The lines between the age groups of students that attend yobikō are becoming blurred. Junior high school students and high school seniors are known to attendTsukada, Mamoru (1988). "Institutionalised Supplementary Education in Japan: The Yobiko and Ronin Student Adaptations". Comparative Education. Taylor & Francis. 24 (3): 288Blumenthal, Tuvia (1992). "Japan's Juken Industry". Asian Survey. University of California Press. 32 (5): 449 after their regular school hours and on Sundays Tsukada, Mamoru (1988). "Institutionalised Supplementary Education in Japan: The Yobiko and Ronin Student Adaptations". Comparative Education. Taylor & Francis. 24 (3): 288 but most students are rōnin, high school graduates who have failed the college entrance exam and are preparing to take it again.Blumenthal, Tuvia (1992). "Japan's Juken Industry". Asian Survey. University of California Press. 32 (5): 449Tsukada, M. (1988b). The yobiko, the institutionalized supplementary educational institution in Japan: A study of the social stratification process (Doctoral dissertation) p. 1 As rōnin students, they attend yobikō classes full-time.Tsukada, Mamoru (1988). "Institutionalised Supplementary Education in Japan: The Yobiko and Ronin Student Adaptations". Comparative Education. Taylor & Francis. 24 (3): 287
Monitoring The quality of teaching is observed and evaluated by methods such as cameras in classrooms and a survey related to the quality of teachers' performances that students take.Tsukada, M. (1988b). The yobiko, the institutionalized supplementary educational institution in Japan: A study of the social stratification process (Doctoral dissertation) p. 40Blumenthal, Tuvia (1992). "Japan's Juken Industry". Asian Survey. University of California Press. 32 (5): 455
Mock exams Students take mock exams throughout the year.Tsukada, M. (1988b). The yobiko, the institutionalized supplementary educational institution in Japan: A study of the social stratification process (Doctoral dissertation) p. 31-32 Scores are made public so students are able to compare their scores with the scores of other students to find their academic standing.Tsukada, M. (1988b). The yobiko, the institutionalized supplementary educational institution in Japan: A study of the social stratification process (Doctoral dissertation) p.31-32 Based on their scores, students know whether they can meet the required entrance test scores required by the college to which they plan to apply.Tsukada, M. (1988b). The yobiko, the institutionalized supplementary educational institution in Japan: A study of the social stratification process (Doctoral dissertation) p. 31-32
Attendance and popularity Family spending on private higher education is as common as that for public higher education. The OECD reported that in 2013, private spending accounted for about 66 percent of higher education costs and about 80 percent of that amount came from households (p. 2-3).
One of the most well-known yobikō is the Kawai Juku.Blumenthal, Tuvia (1992). "Japan's Juken Industry". Asian Survey. University of California Press. 32 (5): 449 Although it is considered a juku, among the courses it offers are classes specifically for entrance exam preparation, giving it a yobikō-like characteristic. It appeals not only to rōnin students but also to a wide range of age groups, as classes are offered to students from elementary school to college (Kawaijuku Group, 2012).
Advantages Japan’s low juvenile crime rate may be caused in part because children who attend yobikō or juku, in addition to regular school, have less free time.Blumenthal, Tuvia (1992). "Japan's Juken Industry". Asian Survey. University of California Press. 32 (5): 460
Yobiko could improve students' chances of being accepting to a higher-quality college. Also, in general, rōnin who attend higher-quality colleges earn more income (Ono, 2007, p. 282).
Disadvantages The yobikō is not equally accessible to students. A national survey and a survey on the Hiroshima branch of a yobikō, which could be considered a typical one, found that more males attend yobikō than females.Tsukada, Mamoru (1988). "Institutionalised Supplementary Education in Japan: The Yobiko and Ronin Student Adaptations." Comparative Education. Taylor & Francis. 24 (3): 288 One reason is that a female rōnin is frowned upon in Japanese society.Tsukada, M. (1988b). The yobiko, the institutionalized supplementary educational institution in Japan: A study of the social stratification process (Doctoral dissertation) p. 309 Also, not all students are able to afford to attend one.Tsukada, Mamoru (1988). "Institutionalised Supplementary Education in Japan: The Yobiko and Ronin Student Adaptations." Comparative Education. Taylor & Francis. 24 (3): 300
The strain on family income created by the expenses of sending children to yobikō or juku may be contributing to the declining birth rate in Japan.Blumenthal, Tuvia (1992). "Japan's Juken Industry." Asian Survey. University of California Press. 32 (5): 460
See also Cram school Juku History of education in Japan Education in Japan University-preparatory school Jaesusaeng Sundai Preparatory School
References
Kawaijuku Group. (2012). Details about our businesses. Retrieved from http://www.kawaijuku.jp/en/education/college/detail.html#college02 OCED. (n.d.). Education at a glance 2013: Country note for Japan. Retrieved from OCED url; http://www.oecd.org/japan/educationataglance2013-countrynotesandkeyfacttables.htm
Tsukada, M. (1988b). The yobiko, the institutionalized supplementary educational institution in Japan: A study of the social stratification process (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10125/10289