Welcome to the Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education
What is the Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education?
1 Board of education system
A board of education is a representative council established in prefectures or municipalities to oversee matters related to education in accordance with the Act on the Organization and Operation of Local Educational Administration.
The Japanese board of education system is based on the principle of lay control, which means that basic policy is discussed and determined from a broader perspective by a board consisting of part-time lay members and that the secretariat is administered and supervised by a superintendent, who is an educational administration expert.
- A board of education has five members (there may be six members for prefectures under a prefectural ordinance).
- Each board member is appointed by the governor or mayor, subject to approval by the prefectural or municipal assembly, and serves four years.
- The chairperson of the board of education, who is elected from among the members, represents the board and chairs meetings. The term is one year.
- The superintendent of the board of education, who heads the secretariat, is appointed from among the members by the board.
- The superintendent of the board of education, who heads the secretariat, is appointed from among the members by the board.
2 What is the Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education?
The Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education has six members and promotes education in cooperation with municipal boards of education in order to nurture Ibaraki’s children and provide residents with opportunities to enrich their lives through learning.
Message from the Superintendent
-- Aiming for an educational prefecture where individual residents shine and grow --
The Great East Japan Earthquake, which occurred in March, last year, caused damage to more than 90% of the public schools in Ibaraki. Thanks to efforts aimed at early recovery, approximately 90% of those schools had completed their reconstruction work before the end of the last fiscal year.
Schools are not only places for children to study but also important local disaster prevention centers. Based on the lessons learned from this earthquake, we will make school buildings more resistant to earthquakes, maintain emergency stockpiles and deepen the links between schools, households and communities in relation to coping with disasters. At the same time, in response to the concerns about radioactivity that resulted from the accident at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, we will regularly measure radiation levels and provide information in a quick and detailed manner so that schoolchildren do not have to worry.
The advancement of globalization and informatization, the progress of science and technology, and the declining birthrate have led to significant changes in the environment surrounding education in Japan. In addition, some say that the academic skills and discipline of children have deteriorated. To cope with such trends, Ibaraki Prefecture has been carrying out various activities to provide children with solid academic skills and to enrich their minds so that they become knowledgeable citizens with high moral standards, and physical strength in a good balance.
To raise children’s academic skills, the prefecture will further promote “easy-to-understand and enjoyable class activities” and “personalized teaching for individual children” by employing its unique small class education approach.
To improve math and science classes at elementary schools in particular, teachers with junior high school mathematics or science teaching qualifications will increasingly be hired as elementary school teachers under special arrangements, and subject-based teacher assignments will be more widely adopted mostly for science classes for 5th and 6th graders. New study materials will also be developed and utilized based on the prefecture’s unique “Ibaraki Science Items” in line with the revised content of junior high school science in order to strengthen science education at junior high schools and raise children’s interest in science.
English education will also be strengthened and more cross-cultural opportunities will be offered to develop children’s communication skills in foreign languages.
Ibaraki is the first prefecture in Japan to provide moral education as a subject to first year students at high schools. Coupled with relevant guidance given at elementary and junior high schools, we will promote moral education suited to their level of development to encourage social skills, public spirit, and consideration of others. To improve children’s physical strength, and to develop the attitude and abilities needed to maintain lifelong healthy lifestyles, we will promote physical education at school, and health and dietary education.
The “Home Education Handbook” will be published and learning opportunities will be provided with the cooperation of municipalities, PTAs and other organizations to help parents improve their education skills, become aware of their responsibilities, and learn how to deal with and educate their children. Through these activities, we will work to make parents aware of the importance of home education and change their consciousness.
Since Ibaraki will host the All Japan High School Cultural Festival in fiscal 2014, an Executive Committee and other related organizations will be established to prepare and build momentum for the festival through cooperation with other relevant organizations.
To develop a quality educational environment with a focus on science and technology and global education, a secondary school attached to Hitachi First Senior High School opened this April. This is the first example of combined junior/senior high school education in a public school in Ibaraki Prefecture. In the same month, Sakai School for Special Needs Education also opened to respond to the rapid increase in the number of children with intellectual disabilities in special support classes.
The basic theme of the Ibaraki Education Plan (2011 - 2015) is “Aiming for an educational prefecture where individual residents shine and grow.” The implementation of the plan requires cooperation and collaboration between schools, households and communities. We would like to ask for your continued understanding and support. Thank you.
April 2012
Shun Onodera
Superintendent
Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education
Organization of the Ibaraki Prefectural Board of Education
The Ibaraki Board of Education is made up of 9 divisions, 5 educational offices, 128 prefectural schools (107 high schools, one secondary school, and 20 schools for special needs education), and 20 other educational facilities such as libraries, museums, lifetime study centers, centers for children and youth, and sport related facilities).
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