Regarding Japan's education system as discussed in Jason Pierre's Jan. 15 letter, "Lack of motivation for studying": I believe that the destiny of many younger students depends too much on the results of academic tests that they take at grade schools, cram schools and college preparatory schools.
For example, they must score high on tests to enter prestigious high schools. If they don't succeed, they are prodded by their teachers to forget about these high schools as well as the universities they had originally planned on going to. Many younger people are forced to abandon dreams early on. This is a miserable outcome and contributes to a lack of motivation among them.
In my opinion, a new education system must be introduced to develop and to strengthen global and other perspectives of Japan's future generation — a system that is not driven primarily by the results of test scores.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.
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