Over 40% of moms think of having kids sit junior high entrance exams first: Japan poll

A school classroom is seen in this unrelated photo. (Getty Images)

TOKYO — Mothers were the first to hit on the idea of having their children take entrance exams at junior high schools in more than 40% of cases, rather than the children themselves or their fathers, a survey by major Japanese cram school operator Eikoh Inc. has revealed.

Behind this apparently lies the tendency that mothers more likely have access to information such as their children’s friends having entered “juku” prep schools, raising the chance they take an interest in having their kids sit junior high entrance exams, an expert analyzed.

The survey released on April 16 by Eikoh, which operates juku schools mainly in the greater Tokyo area, targeted children who listed private or national junior high schools as their first choice in taking entrance exams for the 2024 academic year and their parents, as well as children whose top choice was public junior high schools combined with high schools and their parents.

All the children covered in the online survey conducted in January and February were enrolled in Eikoh prep schools mainly in greater Tokyo. Of the first group, 260 children and 300 guardians answered, while 92 children and 104 guardians responded in the latter group.

In the first group, mothers topped the list of those who first thought about having their children sit entrance exams for private or national junior high schools, at 48.7%, followed by children themselves at 27.3% and their fathers at 20.7%. In the second group, mothers again took the top spot at 45.2%, while children trailed just behind, at 40.4%.

In general, children aspiring to enter public combined junior-senior high schools tend to start full-scale preparations for admission exams when they are in the fifth grade, which is later than their counterparts aiming to enroll in private or national junior highs. An Eikoh public relations official told the Mainichi Shimbun, “They (the former group) are old enough to make a decision on their own, making it more likely that their own will is reflected.”

In past surveys, “mothers” tended to be the most common answer when respondents were asked who first came up with the idea of having their children take junior high entrance exams.

Nobuyasu Morigami, head of Morigami Kyoiku Kenkyujyo based in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward, who is versed in the issue of junior high admission tests, pointed out that in Japan women are said to spend more time on average on raising children than their partners even in dual-income households.

“Mothers, who spend more hours engaged in child-rearing than fathers, are exposed to various information from sources including their children’s friends and school teachers. But fathers tend to get only fragmentary information. This may be a factor contributing to the survey results,” Morigami said.

So when is the most common timing for families to decide on their children’s choice of school?

According to the survey, 33.5% of respondents in the group whose top choice was private or national junior highs in taking entrance exams said “before the summer break in the sixth grade,” followed by 31.9% who said “after” that break, and 26.5% who said “in the fifth grade.”

Meanwhile, just half of respondents in the other group whose primary choice was public combined junior-senior high schools said they made the decision “in the fifth grade,” earlier than the first group. This is apparently because those public schools specify areas of residence in eligibility requirements, giving applicants limited options.

When asked who primarily decided which schools’ entrance exams to take, including “back-up” schools in case of failing in the tests for top-choice schools, 48% of respondents in the group trying for private or national junior highs said “children” themselves, while the figure was higher at 50% for the other group. This indicates that children took the initiative in making the decision, rather than their mothers or fathers.

When queried which points children attached most weight to in selecting schools to apply to in terms of learning, with multiple answers permitted, “the school’s educational policy and tradition” was the most common answer in both groups.

In terms of aspects aside from learning, “the atmosphere of current students” topped the list for the group aiming for private or national junior highs, while “active school events including cultural festivals” was the most popular answer in the group seeking to enter public combined junior-senior highs.

(Japanese original by Eri Misono, Digital News Group)