Keio University and Its Integrated Education System <Part 2>

2008/01/15

Published in "Juku" No. 257, 2008

Today, Keio University's integrated education system comprises one elementary school, three junior high schools, and five senior high schools, nurturing young people with diverse personalities.
Following the previous installment, this article will introduce the origins of the affiliated schools established after World War II.

In the postwar Showa period, when Japanese society underwent a major transformation, the old school system was reorganized in response to the trend of postwar democracy, and a new school system, the so-called 6-3 system, was established. This brought about significant changes to Keio's organization, leading to the opening of new affiliated schools: Chutobu Junior High School in 1947 (Showa 22), the new system's Dai-ichi Senior High School and Dai-ni Senior High School (merged the following year) and the Agricultural Senior High School (predecessor of Keio Shiki Senior High School) in 1948 (Showa 23), and the Girls Senior High School in 1950 (Showa 25). Chutobu Junior High School was established during a chaotic period just over a year after the end of the war. However, undeterred by adversity, it took the first step toward fostering a new society and new human resources, with the educational ideal of cultivating broad and rich human qualities.

The postwar educational reforms strongly promoted co-education. As if to lead this social trend, girls' education was added to Keio's integrated education system with the introduction of co-education at Chutobu Junior High School. Behind this was the strong conviction of Yukichi Fukuzawa, as seen in his writings such as "Onna Daigaku Hyoron" (A Critique of the Greater Learning for Women) and "Shin Onna Daigaku" (The New Greater Learning for Women). His ideas on gender equality and the importance of women's education, which he had advocated from an early stage, were realized half a century after his death, leading to the introduction of co-education at the Yochisha Elementary School the following year and the opening of the Girls Senior High School three years later.

Keio Senior High School originated from the establishment of Keio Dai-ichi Senior High School and Keio Dai-ni Senior High School, which were founded in conjunction with the educational system reforms. Initially, it was housed in a temporary building in Azabu-Shinboricho, Minato-ku, Tokyo. The following year, in 1949 (Showa 24), the two schools were merged, renamed Keio Senior High School, and moved to Mita. Later that autumn, when the former university preparatory school building (Building 1) in Hiyoshi, which had been requisitioned by the US military, was returned, the school relocated to that site, where it remains today.

The Girls Senior High School was opened to coincide with the graduation of the first female students who had enrolled in Chutobu Junior High School. With no proper facilities of its own amidst the postwar reconstruction, it started by borrowing space from the university and Chutobu Junior High School. It was not until 1952 (Showa 27) that the school took shape, with classrooms for all three grades established on its current site, the former Tokugawa residence. The atmosphere of a samurai residence, with its purely Japanese-style gate, a thirteen-story pagoda, and a Japanese garden with a pond where carp swim, can still be glimpsed today as part of the Girls Senior High School's unique character. Another school, Keio Shiki Senior High School, was established in 1957 (Showa 32). Making use of its vast 37,000-tsubo (approx. 122,000 square meters) site, it has built its own traditions in a luxurious environment not found in the city center, blessed with natural beauty, tranquility, and clean air. Its predecessor was the Junior College of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry (established in 1944), which moved to the current site donated in 1947 (Showa 22) by the late Yasuzaemon Matsunaga, a Keio University alumni. This was converted into the Agricultural Senior High School the following year in 1948, and nine years later, it was reorganized into a general course.

In the 1990s, with the 21st century on the horizon, Keio Academy of New York and Keio Shonan Fujisawa Junior and Senior High School were established to nurture individuals who could lead in the next century amidst accelerating internationalization. Keio Academy of New York was opened in 1990 (Heisei 2) in Purchase, New York, as one of the affiliated schools. It is a four-year high school covering grades 9 (third year of junior high school) to 12 (third year of senior high school).

As a private school open to the world and rich in a progressive spirit, Keio Academy of New York has adopted a bilingual and bicultural curriculum. It is a private high school officially accredited by the New York State Board of Regents and is also designated by Japan's Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology as an "overseas educational institution" with a curriculum equivalent to a Japanese high school. Graduates can therefore obtain high school diplomas from both countries. Education is conducted in both English and Japanese.

Keio Shonan Fujisawa Junior and Senior High School (SFC Junior and Senior High School) opened in 1992 (Heisei 4). This was a time when integrated junior and senior high school education was beginning to be advocated to continuously and progressively develop students' abilities and individuality. It was established as a new type of school—a "co-educational six-year integrated education" system—in response to the demands of the era.

Improving the two fundamental skills of "cross-cultural communication" and "information literacy," which are considered essential for success in the international arena, are major pillars of education at SFC Junior and Senior High School. A key feature is its enriched curriculum, which includes English classes tailored to students' abilities, instruction by native speakers, short-term exchange programs, as well as education in computer and network literacy and the cultivation of skills to interpret information. Furthermore, a high percentage of students are admitted through entrance examinations for returnees, creating an established environment where cross-cultural exchange occurs naturally.

The affiliated schools established in this way have made steady progress while flexibly responding to social changes. Respecting "diversity within unity," each school has formed its own educational policies and unique school culture, continuing to produce a wide range of talented individuals by leveraging the underlying tradition of respecting individuality.

This year, Keio University celebrates its 150th anniversary, a first for a modern comprehensive educational institution in Japan. In light of this major milestone, new initiatives are also beginning in elementary and secondary education. In an age where the importance of fostering critical thinking is growing and there is a demand for education that draws out individual abilities and aptitudes in a free and open environment, the pioneering role of integrated education, a pillar of Keio University's educational system, is becoming ever more significant.

Based on the educational philosophy of Yukichi Fukuzawa and the practice of elementary and secondary education since Keio's founding, Keio University's integrated education system is embarking on a new challenge. It will incorporate inspiring educational and international experiences to nurture diverse individuals who will shape the future.