Abstract
In this paper, I will explain about the outline of Educational Administration in our country from a view point of decentralization or local autonomy. Points of my consideration are the following five. 1. Constitutional foundation of decentralization of educational administration. The Articles 92, 93, 94 and 95 are the fundamental provisions concerning Local Self Government, and these provisions are also constitutional ground of decentralization of educational administration. 2. The spirit of Article 10 of The Fundamental Law of Education. The Article 10 of The Fundamental Law of Education is the following: School Administration Education shall not be subject to improper control, but it shall be directly responsible to the whole people. School administration shall, on the basis of this realization, aim at the adjustment and establishment of the various conditions required for the pursuit of the aim of education. This is the most fundamental provision concerning educational administration in our country. And the spirit of this provision includes decentralizationship to some or certain degree. 3. Centralizing of educational administration by enacting The Law Concerning the Organization and Functions of Local Educational Administration. In 1956, The Law Concerning the Organization and Functions of LEA was enacted and centralization was designed concerning the main matters. For example, (1) The Minister of Education, Science and Culture was authorized to demand the amendments of illegal or improper situations of local-prefectural and municipal-school education, (2) The Minister was authorized to recognize or reject the prefectural superintendent candidate. 4. An attempt of enacting and enforcing The By-law concerning Inhabitant Ballot for the choice of candidates of board members of NAKANO-Ku(ward). On 25, May, 1979, The By-law concerning Inhabitant Ballot for the choice of candidates of board members of NAKANO-Ku in Tokyo was promulgated.This attempt has attracted a great deal of educational attention. But in January 1995, The By-law was abolished and this fact indeed showed the difficulty of creative attempt for local self-government body in JAPAN. 5. The Decentralization Promotion Law and prospect of decentralization of educational administration. In 1995, The Decentralization Promotion Law was enacted. According to the spirit of this law, the relation of central and local government, exactly, the legal and functional relation of the Ministry of Education and board of education should be reconsidered.
