Govt to keep corporate university ban / Ministry finds problems in schools

The government has decided to stay the lifting of a ban on the establishment of universities by joint-stock companies, currently only allowed in government-designated structural reform zones, due to a variety of problems found in already existing schools, government sources said Thursday.

The problems are both management- and academic-based.

One such school is LEC Tokyo Legal Mind University in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, established by Tokyo Legal Mind K.K. A number of law violations have been reported at the school, which was the first university established by a joint-stock corporation.

On Thursday, the Education, Science and Technology Ministry issued for the first time an improvement advisory to the university, based on the School Education Law, and demanded the university submit within 30 days a detailed report on the measures it has taken to improve its business practices.

Under the School Education Law, only academic corporations are allowed to establish and manage private schools.

However, by taking advantage of the special designated zone system for structural reform--which went into effect in fiscal 2003--corporations have become able to establish schools in the zones.

At present, there are six universities, 13 high schools and one middle school established by joint-stock companies.

Under the special zone system, successful deregulated rules are expanded to a nationwide basis after a certain period.

The government's Headquarters for the Promotion of Special Zones for Structural Reform has been studying the possibility of lifting the ban on corporate-run private schools within fiscal 2006, which ends on March 31.

However, an investigation by the ministry uncovered several problems, including:

-- Schools are running deficits.
-- Number of students are lower than claimed.
-- Teachers who continue to work outside school lack necessary abilities.
-- Libraries have few books on hand.

On the other hand, in its improvement advisory, the ministry cited two clear violations of its university establishment standards that involved full-time instructors and teaching methods.
Of the 173 full-time teachers, 106 have not taught any classes.

There were no teachers present at video-conducted classes, with questions and answers only being possible in about 1 percent of all such classes, according to the ministry.

Out of the 67 full-time teachers who were actually conducting classes, 40 instructors were also working at the national qualification examination prep school run by the corporation that established the university.

The prep school has branches nationwide.

The ministry also demanded the university remedy the problem regarding the integration of the university and prep school.

If the university cannot solve the problems listed in the advisory, the ministry will be forced to issue an order to close the university in the worst case.

The university opened in April 2004. Its establishment was approved only after three months' screening as an exceptional case for the first fiscal year of allowing establishment of schools by private joint-stock corporations.
(Jan. 26, 2007)
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20070126TDY01006.htm