Tokyo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday visited an elementary school here and mingled with the students, narrating them the story of Lord Krishna.
Modi wanted to learn how the Japanese education system works and received a presentation in this regard at the Taimei Elementary School on the third day of his Japan visit. Subsequently, he went to a music class where the children, in the age group of 7-8 years, sang a song for him. They also played music as he stood between them.
Finding that some students were playing flute, he told them that music has the potential of attracting animals. As the students stood amused, he narrated the story of Lord Krishna. "In India's mythology, there is Lord Krishna. He used to play flute and that used to attract cows to him," he said.
He then played the flute for the children.
The Taimei Elementary School was functional as normal and there was no disruption despite the high profile visit because of which a security blanket was put there.
Later in the day, Modi had 'chai pe charcha' (discussion over tea) with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe. Modi was served Japanese tea at a ceremony, which was a special gesture by Abe.
At the Taimei Elementary School, Modi asked how school syllabus is selected. He was told that 2-5 private publishers present their works, which is scrutinized by the Education Ministry and selected on merit. "Since the drafts are invited from various publishers, it leads to competition," he was told by the Deputy Minister.
He also wanted to know what is the role of parents in Japan's education system and was told that parent-teacher-meetings are held on regular basis to give feedback to the parents.
On how high moral standards are maintained, the Prime Minister was told that moral education classes are held once every week for an hour. Moral education is also built in the education system, the Japanese Minister said.
Modi also asked whether evaluation is done only on the basis of exams.
He was told that till 9th, there are no exams for promotion to the next class and only assessments are conducted to see how much a student has understood and how much interest a student has.
There is no punishment and it is assessed whether a student finds education interesting or boring, the Japanese minister said.
After the presentation, the Prime Minister said he had got an opportunity to understand Japanese system of education.
He noted that the Taimei school had been destroyed in an earthquake on this day in 1923 and had since been rebuilt.
Understanding the pain, Modi recalled that in Gujarat too, during his Chief Ministership, an earthquake in 2001 had devastated a school in Anjar, killing 400 students carrying Indian tricolor on the January 26, the Republic Day.
