Page 5 - InStepsApr18
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Apr 18 Special Events
Phil Roeder - Back to School Steps
It is time to go back to the books; millions of students are beginning a new
life in a new school or joining a grade or class with fresh and different
subjects and teachers. But why do we all return to school in April? When
70% of the world or 215 countries favouring to return in the autumn in
September or October.
The answer is that in the Taisho period, the modern Japanese education system was
firstly modeled on the French school system which also began in April. Not only does
this start date coincide with the start of the financial New Year but also with the fresh
beginnings of spring and the height of the cherry blossom season.
Some say that it is difficult to travel and study abroad for Japanese students because
of the different starting times for schools around the word – especially students who
wish to study in the UK or the US and improve their language skills. Maybe if we all
go back to school at the same time we will have more chance to spend a term abroad
and study in a different culture.
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