I will go straight into this topic. I do not think the recent center test reformation is a big problem. The new test system will give high school students more motivation to learn English, and potentially enhance the general English ability of Japanese people.
There are many protesters around me against this reformation. Some of them even joined demonstrations to show their voices. I sincerely appreciate their courage. However, for a long time, they were the only impression I had about the reformation, including misinformation and conspiracy theories. I thought the administration was doing a bad thing until yesterday I did a search to learn the detail of this reformation on my own.
The reformation itself is quite simple. The Ministry of Education brings several English examinations provided by private companies (like IELTS, TOEFL and Eiken) into the Center Test. Because these are totally different examinations, they all need to be converted to CEFR level eventually. The Ministry recommends universities use those scores as one of the indicators to evaluate applicants. Universities have the choice whether or not to use this new system. From I can see, universities who actually use this system will give students who have a high level English ability a slight advantage over others.
Maybe there are several problems in detail, I think this system is basically all right. In fact, I think the reason why many students do not like this reformation is because it will work. The new system is pushing them out of their comfort zone. I can understand them being nervous about it. People always forget what a “test” really is. For university entrance examinations such as the Center Test, it does not matter how high a score you can get, but by how many people you can beat with your score. Students are evaluated comparably, but not objectively. The test is just a tool, a filter for organizations to get the best people they can. If students who are about to take the Center Test are not able to improve their English any time soon, it will be fine. I do not think there will be a huge number of students that will achieve that.
At this point, some people may ask “How about the low-income families?”. “Poor kids” from low-income families have already been surpassed by “rich kids” in every possible way. Private and cram schools will help make them score high academic results easier than those “poor kids”, and no one will question it. I cannon see the reformation making this situation worse.
Then I want to talk about English learning. Modern Japanese people still have a complex about speaking English, despite the fact that I think average people are actually not as bad as they think they are. Sometimes, people tell me that the reason why Japanese people can’t learn English well is because the English teachers in school is bad in the first place. I cannot understand this theory at all. Chinese students do not have good English teachers, either. However, Chinese students are considered to have a better English ability. When I was in China, I could easily find students practicing their English. On the other hand, I never witness Japanese students do the same. From my experience, only when one wants to achieve native fluency do teachers become essential.
Moreover, I do not agree with the point Japan does not have good English teachers. For example, there is a national program called the JET Programme. There are many native English teachers exist in all kind of schools from elementary to university. It was hard to believe when I first heard about this fact.
Here are my thoughts about the recent reformation and English learning, which may sound a bit radical. At the end of the day, I do not even believe English is useful in Japanese society. As a bottom line, if the government wants to improve the national English ability, I think the reformation will be fine.