In April 2007, the Abe administration revived annual nationwide scholastic tests for primary and middle school students after a lapse of 43 years. Thinking that the "education with latitude" policy had led to lowering of students' scholastic ability, it hoped to use the tests as a tool for raising scholastic levels.
In the first three tests, sixth-graders and third-year middle school students at all public schools and some private schools took part in the Japanese and mathematics tests. This year, as a result of the change of government in September last year, the education ministry decided to carry out the tests at 30.7 percent of the schools. The cost went down from last year's ¥5.7 billion to ¥3.3 billion.
Surprisingly, 61.7 percent of the schools not chosen by the ministry voluntarily took part in the April 20 tests — meaning that more than 70 percent of the schools took part in the tests.