Yokohama Overseas Chinese School

The Yokohama Overseas Chinese School (YOCS) is a Republic of China-oriented Chinese international school in Naka-ku, Yokohama, Japan. It serves elementary through senior high school.[1] As of 2010 Shih Huei-chen (施惠珍 Shī Huìzhēn) is the president of the school.[2]

Yokohama Overseas Chinese School
横浜中華学院
橫濱中華學院
Address
Map
142 Yamashitacho, Naka Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa
〒231-0023 横浜市中区山下町142番地
Coordinates35°26′32″N 139°38′41″E / 35.4422413°N 139.6445956°E / 35.4422413; 139.6445956
Information
Websiteyocs.jp
Yokohama Overseas Chinese School
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese橫濱中華學院
Simplified Chinese横滨中华学院
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinHéngbīn Zhōnghuá Xuéyuán
Wade–GilesHeng-pin Chung-hua Hsüeh-yüen
Japanese name
Kanji横浜中華学院
Transcriptions
Revised HepburnYokohama Chūka Gakuin

History

edit

It was formed after the 1952 split of the Yokohama Chinese School, which was established by Sun Yat-sen. Yokohama Overseas was aligned with Taiwan, while the Yokohama Yamate Chinese School was aligned with the People's Republic of China.[3]

In 2010 the school asked for assistance from Lien Fang Yu (連方瑀 Lián Fāngyǔ), the wife of Lien Chan; at that time the school had a shortage in funding. Yang Ching-huei described the buildings as "very old" and requiring "some serious renovation work."[2] By 2011 the school established interviews and other entrance examinations due to an increase in prospective students.[4]

Operations

edit

As of 2010 most of the school's funding originates from tuition while the Overseas-Compatriots Commission provides some assistance. As of 2010 the school charges monthly tuition rates below the Japanese private school average of ¥50,000 per student; the monthly tuition per elementary or junior high student was ¥22,000 ($268 U.S. dollars) while the per-student tuition at the high school level was ¥25,000.[2]

Curriculum

edit

Each week first-year students have ten Chinese lessons, each lasting 45 minutes; four Japanese lessons, and one English lesson.[4]

Student body

edit

In 1997 each class had about one or two students who were Japanese.[4] As of 2008 about 15% of its students were Japanese nationals, including ethnic Chinese persons with Japanese citizenship.[5] As of 2010 71% of the students were children of Taiwanese families living in Japan and/or are originating from Taiwan. Other students were ethnic Chinese from other countries and Japanese. A YOCS teacher named Chiang Pin-huei (江品輝 Jiāng Pǐnhuī) stated in the Taipei Times that the "focused" education of the YOCS resulted in the high percentage of Taiwan-origin students.[2] By 2011, due to the increase in popularity of international schools among Japanese parents, each first-year elementary class had about 20 Japanese students, making up about 33% of each class. As of that year some new students initially enrolling in the school did not have any understanding of Chinese.[4]

See also

edit

Japanese international schools in Taiwan, Republic of China:

References

edit
  1. ^ "International Schools." City of Yokohama. Retrieved on October 13, 2015. Listed as "Yokohama Chinese Academy" but the website is that of YOCS.
  2. ^ a b c d Loa, Iok-sin. "Overseas Chinese school lacks funds" (Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine). Taipei Times. November 13, 2010. Retrieved on March 8, 2015.
  3. ^ Co, Emily. "School bridges China-Japan gap" (Archive). The Japan Times. December 23, 2008. Modified January 30, 2015. Retrieved on March 8, 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d Fujikata, Satoru. "Japanese parents see value of Chinese, Indian schools" (Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine). Asahi Shimbun. August 30, 2011. Retrieved on March 8, 2015.
  5. ^ Gottlieb, Nanette. "Japan: Language Planning and Policy in Transition." In: Kaplan, Robert B. and Richard B. Baldauf. Language Planning and Policy in Asia: Japan, Nepal, Taiwan and Chinese characters (Language planning and policy). Multilingual Matters, 2008. ISBN 1847690955, 9781847690951. Start: 102. CITED: p. 133.

Further reading

edit

(in Japanese)

Available online:

Not available online:

  • Sugimura, Miki (杉村 美紀; Tokyo Gakugei University大学院博士課程). "Some Problems of Chinese Education in Japan : The Case of Yokohama Chinese Community" (在日華文学校の教育問題 : 「横浜中華学院」の事例を中心に). Research bulletin of international education (国際教育研究) 11, 52-54, 1991-03. Tokyo Gakugei University. See profile at CiNii.

(in Chinese)

edit