Japanese School Gradebook — Three-Dimension Evaluation with MEXT Compliance
Japan's 2020 学習指導要領 (Curriculum Standards) require assessing three independent dimensions per subject: 知識・技能 (Knowledge & Skills), 思考・判断・表現 (Thinking & Judgement), and 主体的に学習に取り組む態度 (Attitude toward Learning). OpenEduCat stores all three dimensions separately for elementary and JHS students, switches to the 1–5 numerical scale for Senior High, and enforces MEXT's prohibition on numerical evaluation of 道徳 (Moral Education).
Grading Scales
Pre-configured grade bands shipped with the Japan module. No manual setup required.
| Grade | Points / Range | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ◎ — 知識・技能 (Knowledge & Skills) | Excellent / ◎ | Student demonstrates excellent knowledge and skills for the subject. Stored as an independent dimension — a ◎ here does not imply ◎ in Thinking or Attitude. |
| ○ — 思考・判断・表現 (Thinking & Judgement) | Satisfactory / ○ | Student demonstrates satisfactory thinking, judgement, and expression. The three dimensions are evaluated separately; a student can excel in Knowledge but need improvement in Thinking. |
| △ — 主体的に学習に取り組む態度 (Attitude) | Needs Improvement / △ | Student's attitude toward learning needs improvement. This third dimension captures engagement and self-directed learning — separate from academic performance dimensions. |
| 1–5 Scale (Senior High) | 1 = Excellent, 5 = Failing | Senior High School subjects use a 1–5 numerical scale. Note: SHS scale is inverted from international convention — 1 is best. The system displays this correctly throughout. |
What the Japan Module Does
Country-specific features that go beyond the core gradebook engine.
Three-Dimension Elementary/JHS Evaluation
Separate ◎/○/△ ratings stored as independent fields per subject per dimension. MEXT 2020 revised Curriculum Standards require this three-way split — a single combined mark is non-compliant.
道徳 (Moral Education) Constraint
Moral Education is legally required to be evaluated qualitatively only. OpenEduCat enforces `hyotei = qualitative_only` on 道徳 subjects, blocking any attempt to assign a numerical grade at the data layer.
単位 (tan-i) Credit Tracking
Credit unit count per SHS subject feeds graduation requirement verification aligned with MEXT minimum standards. Students accumulating fewer than 74 単位 are flagged before graduation.
通知表 PDF
Official Japanese report card with three-dimension evaluation grid for elementary/JHS, numerical grades for SHS, and attendance summary — formatted for semester distribution to families.
Configurable Evaluation Type per Subject
The `hyotei` selector routes each subject to `qualitative_3band` (◎/○/△), `numerical_5` (1–5), or `qualitative_only` (道徳), ensuring the correct evaluation method for every subject type.
Re-Attempt Policy
Supplementary Guidance (補充学習)
Students who receive △ or numerical grade 4–5 in SHS are typically offered 補充学習 (supplementary instruction). The system flags at-risk students per dimension and school level, enabling early intervention without changing the official grade record.
How re-attempts affect the transcript
- The active grade (counted in GPA) is marked with an asterisk (*)
- Superseded or excluded grades are annotated with their status code
- All attempts appear on the transcript for full academic transparency
- Cleared, condoned, compensated, and exempted backlogs do not block graduation
Transcript Formats
Official academic record formats generated by the Japan module.
通知表 (Tsūchibyō): Three-dimension evaluation grid for elementary/JHS students
numerical grades for SHS students, attendance summary — semester distribution to families.
QR Verification Available
Install the secure bridge module to add QR codes with SHA-256 integrity hashes to every transcript. Employers and other institutions scan the code to verify the transcript is authentic and unmodified.
Honours & Classification
How graduates are classified under the Japan system.
| Classification | Threshold |
|---|---|
| ◎ (Excellent) across all three dimensions | Outstanding evaluation — highest recognition in elementary/JHS context |
| 優 (Grade 1 in SHS) | Top performance band in Senior High School 1–5 numerical scale |
Regulatory Alignment
MEXT (文部科学省), National Curriculum Standards (学習指導要領) revised 2020, 道徳 qualitative evaluation guidelines, SHS minimum graduation requirements (74 単位)
The Japan gradebook module pre-configures grading scales, assessment templates, re-attempt policies, and transcript formats to align with the requirements set by MEXT (文部科学省), National Curriculum Standards (学習指導要領) revised 2020, 道徳 qualitative evaluation guidelines, SHS minimum graduation requirements (74 単位). The data structures, computation rules, and report formats follow the standards your accreditation body expects to see during institutional audits.
Grade distributions, pass rates, GPA trends, and classification statistics can all be exported to Excel for submission during accreditation reviews. The structured data makes it straightforward to pull the specific metrics your accreditation criteria require.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the Japan gradebook module.
Other Country Modules
The same gradebook engine powers all seven country modules. Explore the others.
India & Bangladesh
UGC (University Grants Commission), NAAC
Kenya
CUE (Commission for University Education)
Gulf / GCC
NCAAA (National Center for Academic Accreditation and Assessment)
Indonesia
BAN-PT (Badan Akreditasi Nasional Perguruan Tinggi)
United Kingdom
QAA (Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education)
United States
FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), Regional Accreditors (HLC, SACSCOC, MSCHE, NEASC, NWCCU, WASC)
Bologna / European
Bologna Process, ENQA (European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education)
Brazil
BNCC (Base Nacional Comum Curricular, 2017/2018), LDB (Lei de Diretrizes e Bases, Lei 9.394/96), MEC (Ministério da Educação)
Germany
Kultusministerkonferenz (KMK), Landesrecht Notenordnungen in all 16 Bundesländer, standard Zeugnisformular conventions
France
Ministère de l'Éducation nationale et de la Jeunesse, Baccalauréat général et technologique (réforme 2021), DNB assessment rules
South Korea
Ministry of Education Korea (교육부), National Education Information System (NEIS), Student Record Management Guidelines, 2028 수능 reform framework
Malaysia
Lembaga Peperiksaan Malaysia (Malaysian Examinations Syndicate), Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA), IPTA university admission requirements
Nordic Countries
Sweden: Skolverket | Denmark: Undervisningsministeriet (BEK nr 114) | Norway: Utdanningsdirektoratet (LK20) | Finland: Opetushallitus (Lukiolaki)
Netherlands
Rijksoverheid, Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs (DUO), Het College voor Toetsen en Examens (CvTE), Eindexamenbesluit VO
East Africa
Tanzania: NECTA (National Examinations Council of Tanzania) | Uganda: UNEB (Uganda National Examinations Board) | Rwanda: REB (Rwanda Education Board)
West Africa
West African Examinations Council (WAEC), WASSCE (West African Senior School Certificate Examination) standards, WAEC member states: Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Liberia
Switzerland
Schweizerische Maturitätskommission (SMK) / Commission suisse de maturité (CSM) — Federal Matura Regulation (MAR/ORM) | EDK/CDIP Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education
Hong Kong
Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) — HKDSE Assessment Framework | JUPAS (Joint University Programmes Admissions System)
New Zealand
New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) — NCEA Assessment Framework | Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) Literacy and Numeracy requirements
South Africa
Department of Basic Education (DBE) South Africa — National Senior Certificate Policy | UMALUSI — Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training
Mexico
Secretaría de Educación Pública (SEP) — Dirección General de Acreditación, Incorporación y Revalidación (DGAIR) | COMIPEMS (metropolitan area) for Secundaria placement
Colombia & Latin America
Ministerio de Educación Nacional (MEN) Colombia — Decreto 1290 de 2009 | ICFES (Instituto Colombiano para la Evaluación de la Educación) for standardised assessments
Turkey
Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı (MEB) — Ministry of National Education, Turkey | Ortaöğretim Yönetmeliği (Secondary Education Regulation) | ÖSYM for YKS
Israel
Israel Ministry of Education (Misrad HaChinuch) — Bagrut Examination Division | National Authority for Measurement and Evaluation in Education (RAMA)
Nepal
National Examination Board (NEB) Nepal — SEE and Grade 12 Examination Regulations | Office of the Controller of Examinations (OCE)
Ethiopia
Ethiopian Ministry of Education — National Framework for Education | National Educational Assessment and Examinations Agency (NEAEA) | Ethiopian Education and Research Advanced Education Authority (EQAE)
Southeast Asia
Vietnam: Bộ Giáo Dục và Đào Tạo (BGDĐT) — Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) | Thailand: Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC), Ministry of Education
Arab World
Saudi Arabia: وزارة التعليم (Ministry of Education) | Egypt: وزارة التربية والتعليم (MoE Egypt) | UAE: ADEK / KHDA / MoE UAE | Jordan: وزارة التربية والتعليم (MoE Jordan) | Kuwait: وزارة التربية (MoE Kuwait)
Philippines
Commission on Higher Education (CHED), CHED Memorandum Orders (CMO), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for vocational
Works With These Modules
The gradebook connects to the rest of the OpenEduCat platform.
Exam Management
Schedule exams, generate seating plans, and push grades directly into the gradebook.
Learn more →Student Information System
Student records, enrollment data, and academic history in one place.
Learn more →Learning Management System
Courses, assignments, and quizzes with automatic grade sync to the gradebook.
Learn more →Attendance Management
Track attendance and link it to grade eligibility rules where required.
Learn more →Ready to Transform Your Gradebook?
See how OpenEduCat frees up time so every student gets the attention they deserve.
Try it free for 15 days. No credit card required.