10 July 2024
Japan’s Ministry of Education has announced plans to transition its national achievement test for junior high school third-graders and elementary school sixth-graders to a fully online format by 2027. The ministry will make a final decision on the shift to computer-based testing as early as autumn, following consultations with schools and educational boards.
This transition will eliminate the use of traditional paper booklets for the test. The national achievement test, which was first introduced in 2007, assesses students’ academic abilities in Japanese language and mathematics annually. Additionally, English examinations for junior high school third-graders and science examinations for all students are conducted approximately every three years.
The ministry aims to implement the online shift in stages. In 2025, junior high school third-graders will undertake an online science examination. By 2026, all components of the English examination, including listening, reading, writing, and speaking, will be conducted online.
The shift to online testing will enable the use of multimedia elements such as videos, audio, and spreadsheets, providing both test administrators and students with enhanced functionalities.
