The English proficiency of students at public junior and senior high schools is improving but remains well behind government targets, an education ministry survey has shown.
Aiming to boost English ability ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the government has set targets for results in the Eiken Test in Practical English Proficiency, which assesses skills on a seven-step scale with Grade 1 being the highest qualification.
The government wants a majority of students acquire proficiency equivalent to Grade 3 or higher by the time they graduate from junior high school, with Grade Pre-2 or higher targeted for those finishing senior high school.