An Analysis of the Revised “Learning Guideline” for Senior High School Citizenship Curriculum in Japan

Abstract

In March 2018, in the global context of students’ development of key competencies, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan issued the Revised “Learning Guideline” for Senior High School, which has brought significant revision to the objectives, curriculum content, and teaching requirements in the senior high school citizenship curriculum. In terms of curriculum objectives, three “pillars”--namely “knowledge and skills”, “thinking abilities, judgment and expression power”, and “study ambition and human nature”, of training high school students are emphasized. In terms of curriculum content, three subjects—The Public, Ethics, and Politics and Economy, are set up to constitute the new curriculum system of citizenship. In terms of teaching requirements, specific requirements are made for the “quality and ability” objectives of each subject to be achieved on the “three pillars”. The newly revised senior high school “Learning Guideline” of citizenship course highlights the epochal character and value orientation of citizenship course, focuses on the convergence and operability of the objectives of citizenship course, and emphasizes the openness and flexibility of the content of citizenship courses, which has certain enlightening value.