A considerable number of children do not understand their lessons, many have weak study habits and their attitude toward learning is not necessarily based on a desire for knowledge, according to an education ministry white paper submitted to the Cabinet on Tuesday.
While the overall scholastic performance of students is generally good, there are lingering concerns over the nation's slipping academic record, according to the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry.
The ministry also admitted there are problems in areas such as natural science studies, and said it is trying to address these shortcomings by designating some schools as "super science high schools," in which classes are formed according to students' level of proficiency and the curriculum focuses on math and science.