The aim was to give children space to grow, encourage more independent thinking and reduce memory work. But that did not happen.
When Japan cut classroom hours and introduced more flexible learning from the 1980s, under a policy which it called the Yutori - which means "relax" - students' scores dropped and parents sent them to cram schools.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Read the full story and more at $9.90/month
Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month
ST One Digital
$9.90/month
No contract
ST app access on 1 mobile device
Unlock these benefits
All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com
Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device
E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you