The Yomiuri Shimbun
Ehime University will begin offering private tutoring to freshmen in April to ensure they have the academic background to keep up with classes.
This year's freshmen are the first students to have been educated under the "cram-free education" curriculum, which was introduced in April 2003 to allow students to take a less rigorous course of study.
Under the curriculum, course content was cut by 5 percent.
Tutoring in English, math, science and other subjects will be given by the university's postgraduate students.
Although some staff at the university, based in Matsuyama, say students should not be pampered, the university decided to launch the unusual program in response to declining academic skills among students and a growing number of failing students.
About 2,000 students will enter the university in April. Five postgraduate students will be hired to give private tutorials every weekday in the university library. They will teach the students math, how to write reports and make study plans.
In the 2004 academic year, 114 of the university's 8,300 students dropped out. Many said they were discouraged and had lost enthusiasm for learning as they could not understand subjects such as math.
Sensing a crisis, Hiroaki Sato, an associate professor at the university's Institute for Education and Student Support, suggested providing tutoring as a way to help get students off on the right foot.
The university decided to leave the program to postgraduate students, who they hope will be better able to advise students about university life.
The university's move was not universally welcomed. "When we were students, we weren't as academically strong as students today because some of us had been in the war," said Tsuyoshi Mori, professor emeritus of Kyoto University. "But we managed to hang on. Universities today might be trying too hard to keep students happy."
(Mar. 9, 2006)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20060309TDY02008.htm
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