This week I experienced my first Japanese graduation. It's a little strange to us to have graduation at this point in the year, and begin a new school year in two or three weeks, but it also feels somewhat natural considering that winter is almost over and spring is already beginning. To be honest, I'm going to miss several students quite a lot. I've had only a few months to get to know them, but it's been great to see them change and grow in this short time, and now they're ready to move on to high school.
The whole system of education is very different from our system in America. Here, junior high students take difficult and competitive exams to get into the best high schools whereas we take our most competitive tests to get into colleges and universities. If these 9th graders don't score well enough to make it into one of the top public schools then they have to pay extra for some private school (the reverse of what is typical in America). The system has its merits, but it can also put a lot of pressure on students at a very young age.
Yesterday, a most interesting thing took place in my school office. All the 9th grade teachers drove to the high schools their students applied to pick up by hand those students final test scores. At the office, you could feel the tension in the air. Everyone jumped at every phone call. The teachers, principals, and office workers were all anxious to find out if certain students had passed their exams. Finally, one-by-one, the 9th grade teachers returned, victorious, with manila envelopes filled with the scores. The principal and vice principal read off results with excitement. Teachers smiled and laughed and congratulated each other over the students who were right on the edge. It was great to recognize a few names, and realize that all the work these teachers and the students themselves (not to mention the parents!) finally paid off. The whole atmosphere surged with the electricity of success.
Every year a few students do not pass their exams. Teachers usually can predict who will have the greatest difficulty because they've already met several times with students and their parents to discuss their high school choices and their academic performance in that year. Some of these students will have to pay extra to attend high school, or will have to go to another school to work up to take their tests again. But some will not go to high school. It's a sad story.
For all the students, I hope and pray they will live lives of meaning. It's easy to just do the next thing. But after all the work, all the studying, all the competition, at some point they all have to decide what their life will really be about. I hope they form their life around something that will last.
To all the graduates, God bless you guys!
