School System Proclamation Day

What Is School System Proclamation Day?

August 2nd marks "Gakusei Happu Kinenbi" (School System Proclamation Day) in Japan. It commemorates the promulgation of the "Gakusei" (School System), Japan's first modern school education system, on the 2nd day of the 8th month of Meiji 5 under the old lunar calendar (September 4, 1872, in the Western calendar). Together with the Gakusei, Dajokan Proclamation No. 214 — a statement encouraging learning known as the "Oseidasaresho" — was issued.

The Educational Reform the Gakusei Brought

The Gakusei was drafted by a commission made up mainly of scholars of Western learning, drawing on France's school district system and other models.

• Its philosophy: aiming for education for all people regardless of class or gender, under the principle "let there be no household in a village without learning, and no person in a household without learning"
• Its structure: a sweeping law of 109 chapters covering six areas — school districts, schools, teachers, students and examinations, regulations for overseas students, and school expenses
• The district plan: the country was to be divided into eight university districts, each with universities, middle schools, and elementary schools — with a vision of more than 50,000 elementary schools nationwide

The Gap Between Ideal and Reality

Though the Gakusei was a groundbreaking system emphasizing practical learning, its uniform school districts, which ignored regional circumstances, and the heavy burden of school costs placed on local residents created friction across the country. It was abolished and replaced by the Education Order of 1879.

Tips for Marking This Day

• Learn about the contents of the Gakusei and the background behind this educational reform
• Trace how Japan's current school system took shape over time
• Learn about the social changes surrounding education in the Meiji era
• Look up when the schools you attended were founded

Japan's School System, Born From the Ideal of "Leaving No One Uneducated"

The Gakusei wasn't a perfect system, but it marked the starting point of modern Japanese education, built on the ideal of equal educational opportunity regardless of social class. Let August 2nd be a day to reflect on how the school system we take for granted today first began.