In a bid to stem the widely perceived decline in Japan's academic standards, an education ministry panel recommended Tuesday that teachers be allowed to deviate from government-set curriculum guidelines and cater more to student abilities.
The recommendations are contained in a final report to education minister Takeo Kawamura by the Central Council for Education, an advisory body to the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry.
"The education ministry would like to make the best use of these recommendations so they are reflected in curricula and teaching methods for the next academic year (beginning in April,)" Kawamura said in receiving the report.