Japan’s education ministry is preparing to revise the country’s school curriculum guidelines to promote deeper, more interactive learning and introduce greater flexibility in class hours, according to sources familiar with the plan. These changes, which aim to better accommodate diverse student needs and modern educational demands, were outlined during a meeting of a special subcommittee under the Central Council for Education on Monday.

The advisory council is expected to finalize its recommendations for the education minister within the coming months. Following this, the ministry will issue revised curriculum guidelines to kindergartens, elementary, and junior high schools by the end of March. Implementation will be phased in, with kindergartens adopting the new guidelines in April 2028, elementary schools in April 2030, and junior high schools in April 2031. High schools will receive notifications by March 2028, with changes beginning to take effect for students entering from April 2032 onward.

Central to the revisions is a focus on fostering proactive learning environments where students engage more deeply and interactively with subjects. The guidelines encourage nurturing students’ individual interests and strengths to develop their ability to articulate personal viewpoints and collaborate effectively with others through dialogue and consensus-building.

To ease the burden on both students and teachers, the ministry plans to introduce an adjustable class hours system for elementary and junior high schools. This system will allow schools to reduce hours in certain subjects and reallocate that time for other subjects or discretionary activities such as targeted study support and teacher training, all without increasing the overall annual class hours. Schools will have the option to adopt this system beginning in fiscal 2028, prior to the full rollout of the updated curriculum.

The draft guidelines also propose provisions for creating specialized curricula tailored to students who face frequent absences or demonstrate particular talents in specific fields, reflecting an effort to address diverse learner profiles. Additionally, a digital version of the curriculum guidelines will be developed to facilitate lesson planning and use by educators.

In response to concerns about evaluating students’ attitudes and engagement, the council is considering revisions to assessment methods to ensure greater objectivity in grading these areas.

The revised curriculum will advance education on information literacy, acknowledging the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence technology and the increasing role of social media. From fiscal 2028, elementary schools will integrate information literacy topics into interdisciplinary studies, while junior high schools will introduce a dedicated subject on information and technology. These changes will provide students with systematic instruction in programming, information literacy, and AI application across all school levels.

For high schools, the reforms will reduce the minimum credit units for classes by approximately half, allowing students more choice in course selection. Elective courses in Japanese language and mathematics will be reorganized, and a new “guidance” subject will be introduced to connect mathematics and science education to societal contexts and career paths.