One of the worst defects of modern education is its indifference to reality. I do not mean by 'reality' anything profound or meta-physical ; I mean merely plain matters of fact. The habit of shying away in terror from every unpleasant feature of the world is a dangerous one and is the mark of a certain frivolous weakness.
Source: On Protecting Children from Reality, by Bertrand Russell
More info.: https://russell-j.com/CHILD-P.HTM
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In Japan's public education, especially in elementary and junior high schools, there is a noticeable tendency to avoid dealing deeply with political and social issues in the classroom. According to the OECD's Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS 2018), only 25% of Japanese junior high school teachers reported that they frequently conduct lessons in which students decide on procedures for solving complex problems. This figure falls significantly below the OECD average of 45%, suggesting that opportunities for encouraging debate and active learning are relatively limited in international comparison.
This lack of discussion habits is also reflected in disaster prevention policy. For example, the Tokyo metropolitan area (Tokyo and the surrounding three prefectures) accounts for about 30% of Japan's nominal GDP, meaning that economic activity is highly concentrated. Nevertheless, plans for dispersing central government functions or establishing a dual-capital system remain stuck at the stage of "being under consideration." According to estimates by the Cabinet Office's Central Disaster Management Council, if a major earthquake were to directly strike the Tokyo area and shut down core functions of the capital for 72 hours, the combined damage --including direct destruction and economic slowdown-- could amount to approximately 95 trillion yen. Despite this, fundamental legal reforms and investment in decentralization remain slow, and political debate continues to revolve around disputes over emergency constitutional provisions between the ruling and opposition parties.
The same pattern can be seen in nuclear energy policy. While new reactor construction along the Pacific coast is often justified on the grounds that potential damage can be minimized, examples of nuclear power plants located on the Sea of Japan side in neighboring countries suggest that the extent of damage can vary significantly depending on wind direction. Even so, relevant evidence is not sufficiently shared or examined, and public debate often degenerates into an exchange of labels rather than a rational assessment of pros and cons.
Ultimately, the lack of training at the school level in comparing evidence and learning how to form consensus is likely contributing to the weakening of policy discussion in society as a whole. Institutional support for discussion-based lessons and evidence-driven learning, along with the development of environments that foster critical thinking, should be regarded as essential prerequisites for addressing national challenges such as disaster preparedness and energy policy.
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