One shot at life: Japanese university admissions
About half a million teenagers across Japan sit standardised university
entrance exams today. Critics says the multiple-choice tests are a poor
measure of academic abilities. Business leaders argue the education
system suppresses creativity of students. Yet reform has proven elusive.
The education minister has been forced to postpone the introduction
of free-response questions gauging the ability to think critically. The
government’s plan to contract out English tests to other providers has
also been cancelled. The annual rite of passage is very stressful for
youngsters. Large company still mass-recruit directly from universities
and screen applicants based on college rankings. Stumbling in the
tests means risking failure for life.