Comparative Study on Vocational Education in Japan and in France

In this paper, I will discuss on the vocational education at the level of secondary education in Japan and in France with a comparative point of view.

              In France, there are mainly three types of high school (lycée): lycée général, lycée technologique and lycée professionnel. When the pupils accomplish their study at high school and pass the final examination (baccalauréat), they receive a diploma which corresponds to their study course (baccalauréat général, baccalauréat technologique  and baccalauréat professionnel). Though all these three types institutionally give the right to enter the higher education, the courses of pupils after graduation of each type of high school show a clear difference: continuing to study at higher education or entering employment ; types of institution (grandes écoles, university, professional junior college …) when they continue to study... Historically, ‘technological’ and ‘professional’ courses are introduced for the purpose of vocational education, but the situation of the pupils after accomplishing their study at high school shows a significant difference.

              In Japan, there are general education course, specialized education course and comprehensive education course in high school. I will discuss the tendency of the way that the pupils of each course take after their graduation as comparing with the situation in France.

              With these discussions, I will try to examine concepts of ability, career and so on, in a wider sense.