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Japan’s current University Entrance Examinations system should be abolished

University entrance is one of the biggest milestones in a person’s life, and the examination for university entrance is certainly a big challenge. However, a number of questions to Japanese current University Entrance Examinations (UEEs) exist. In this　paper,　we　will　argue　the　reasons　why　we　should　abolish　the　current　Japanese　UEEs　from　the　following four points  – three from applicants’  and one from examiners’ aspect. From applicants’ aspect, Japan should discontinue the current UEEs because it deprives them of developing their ability to think, provides applicants’ equal opportunities and helps students to consider their long-term future goals. Furthermore, from examiners’ aspect, the UEEs should be done away because it gets rid of the burden for the academic staffs.

 Abolishing the UEE system can enhance applicants’ ability to think. The current UEE system disturbs the ability to think because it only tests applicants’ memorization skills. For example, in order to get high score in world history, applicants have to remember the precise years when historical event happened. They need to select exact only one answer in each multiple-choice question.  In other words, applicants don’t need to learn historical causality, anthropological uniqueness and significant/interesting episodes of each event just on order to pass examinations. Therefore, applicants lose precious chances to learn ability to think why each event is historically significant on condition that e current UEE system exists. Although memorization skills are certainly important for students to learn, it must not the determinant of their academic achievement.

These days, academia tends to focus on more complicated issues than before, such as development studies, social policies and public health.  These issues don’t have single answer.  Therefore, students require interdisciplinary knowledge due to tackle with such issues.  If you study interdisciplinary subjects, you need ability to think rather than memorization skills.  In other words, universities require their students to acquire plural and broad viewpoints rather than only single expertise which students just memorize.  However, current UEEs in Japan measure applicants’ reflexes due to acquiring high score on examinations rather than abilities to think or capabilities to achieve the goal within a limited amount of time.

Abolishing UEE system will provide equal opportunities to the applicants’ less economically pivileged. Under current UEE system, applicants and their family have to pay much money for preparatory schools as if having children to preparatory schools is parents’ obligation. Consequently, only rich family can have easy access to quality education. Is this situation fair for applicants? If students do not need to attend preparatory school for UEE, university entrance would be fair with all students.

Abolishing UEE system can broaden students’ selectiveness of their future career, because current applicants set their goals in passing the UEE.  Since students spend a lot of time to prepare for UEE, they don’t have enough chance to consider their future. In daytime, they have to go to high schools and need to master their curriculum. After class, they need to do club activities and go to preparatory schools. Current Japanese high school students have many things to do. Their chance to widen future vision is limited because of preparation for UEE. More and more things they have to do, students think only of the immediate future.

Abolishing the UEE system will reduce the workload of the academic staffs of the university to prepare for the UEEs.  UEE workload is a heavy burden for academic staffs when they achieve their own study.  In other words, universities themselves disturb their academic staffs to research their topics, in spite of universities are recognized as research institutions.  Therefore, UEE has structural contradiction from the viewpoint of academic staffs.

To conclude, Japan should abolish the current UEEs because of both applicants’ and examiners’ disadvantages. From applicants’ aspect, Japan should discontinue the current UEEs because it deprives them of developing their ability to think, provides applicants’ equal opportunities and helps students to consider their long-term future goals. Furthermore, from examiners’ aspect, the UEEs should be done away because it gets rid of the burden for the academic staffs.