Struggling Japanese Students Face Challenge in Descriptive Exam Format
In the recently concluded fiscal 2025 achievement test, a notable gender gap emerged in the Japanese-language section, with female students outperforming their male counterparts [1][2]. Approximately 1.9 million students from around 28,000 schools nationwide took part in the test [1].
The average correct answer rate for description-type questions in the Japanese-language section of the test for junior high school third-graders was 25.6% [1]. However, this rate was significantly higher for female students in the same grade, indicating a stronger affinity, confidence, and understanding of the subject [1].
Similarly, in elementary school sixth grade, female students also demonstrated a higher correct answer rate for Japanese-language questions compared to male students [1]. This trend continued, with fewer boys than girls in both grades expressing a liking, confidence, or understanding of the Japanese-language subject [1].
The reasons behind this gender difference are multifaceted, according to education ministry officials. They suggest that these tendencies in performance and attitude may be influenced by factors such as unconscious gender bias and biological differences between males and females [1].
In the Japanese educational context, girls generally seem to perform better and feel more confident in language-related subjects, while boys show more confidence and liking for mathematics and science [1]. This trend may be influenced by cultural and educational environment factors in Japan, as Japanese education emphasises collective achievement and process-oriented learning, which could minimise stereotype activation affecting performance differently by gender [4].
In conclusion, the better performance of female students in the Japanese-language section appears to be due to their stronger subject affinity, confidence, and comprehension, combined with societal, educational, and possibly biological influences affecting motivation, engagement, and test-taking skills [1][2][4].
For the first time, the Ministry of Education released test results by gender in the fiscal 2025 national achievement test [1]. This move is expected to provide valuable insights into the gender gap in Japanese education and guide future efforts to promote gender equality in academic achievement.
- In the realm of education and self-development, one might consider enrolling in photo classes or workshops to enhance skills, as the optimism and understanding exhibited by female students in the Japanese-language section test may also be observed in other subject areas.
- Learning about self-development and education-and-self-development topics, particularly post-test analysis of the Japanese-language section results, indicates that women often demonstrate a stronger affinity, confidence, and understanding in language-related subjects, providing a unique opportunity for further investigation and gender-focused educational strategies.
