Curriculum guideline (Japan)

Curriculum guidelines (学習指導要領, Gakushū shidō yōryō) is a standard issued by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) that specifies materials taught at all of elementary, junior and senior high schools in Japan, either public or private. The authority of the ministry to issue the standard is due to the enforcement regulations of the School Education Law (学校教育法施行規則, Gakkō kyōiku hō shikō kisoku).^[1] The ministry also publishes the commentary to the curriculum guidelines (学習指導要領解説, Gakushū shidō yōryō kaisetsu) that accompanies the guidelines. Nominally, the commentary is not legally binding. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology prepares guidelines with the basic outlines of each subject taught in Japanese schools. Typically the guideline is revised every 10 years to update content and objective.^[2] Since 1886, the purpose of the official authorization system had been in effect to standardization and maintain neutrality on political and religious issues.^[2]