Asahi Shinbun, 3/23/2011
accessed 3/28/2011
Summary/Key Points: This time of year is a tense one for Japanese students. The school year ends in March and begins anew in April; those who took the high school entrance exams are waiting nervously for the results, which will not only let them know if they were accepted into their school of choice, but in some cases will more or less determine their future path. Six of the high schools within the 20km evacuation zone around the Fukushima nuclear power plant are unable to physically retrieve the test files and results. Because of this, the Fukushima Board of Education has decided to declare passing grades for the 374 students affected. The author talks with some of these students in evacuation shelters, and the consensus seems to be a mixture of emotions: kids are excited, of course, to have gotten into their chosen schools, but are disappointed that they don't know when they might be let back to actually start school.
Intended Audience: general public
Relevance: This is a hard disaster for anyone to imagine, but human interest articles like this help to personalize it and build sympathy. In addition, we all have the very recent experience of waiting for notice of admission... how would it feel to be admitted (and "automatically" at that), and then not allowed to attend PU indefinitely? To have in the back of your mind the idea that you may never be able to attend, once the program gets you started up at some other, nearby school?
This definitely makes it more personal - seems more "real". It is so hard to imagine and the pictures are too much. Too huge. Plus it feels so far way - that is until - you read an article like this.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about the students - trying to view this from their perspective. Two things kept coming up. One - does this (our test scores) even matter in light of what is happening around us. Two - I worked so hard and want to know my score - the one I earned - not one awarded to me because of the disaster. I have read what an honorable people the Japanese are. I can imagine having a passing score given if not earned would not be well received. Will those poor students always wonder? Maybe my best attempt to think like them is far off???
Entrance Test is really a big deal and will determine students' future path in my country. When I heard about the news happened in Japan, I feel so sorry for the Japanese. But in front of the nature, what can humans do? Scores are nothing in front of disasters. The only thing people care is if they are still alive. But from Japanese Students' view, it is still important to go to the school they wanted. I don't know if this is an irony. I am waiting to see things would be changed in schools in Asia. Scores are really not that important!
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