Prince Hisahito of Akishino’s Press Conference did not Touched the Issue of Prince Hisahito of Akishino’s “Red Mark”

On November 30, Prince Akishino celebrated his 57th birthday, and at a press conference on November 25, he spoke about his three children and his thoughts on their recent situations. As for his eldest son, Eugene, he said, “He entered senior high school last April.”

He has been in the same school from kindergarten to junior high school for the past 12 years, and now he has started a new life last April.

“He seems to be busy with his classes and club activities, but he seems to be having a fulfilling life,” he said.

What is a “red mark”?

Last month, there were reports that His Imperial Highness Prince Eugene, who has entered the high school attached to the University of Tsukuba, had poor grades and red marks. This has raised questions from within the school. A student at the school said, “When I saw the article, I felt quite uncomfortable.”

A student at the school said, “I felt quite uncomfortable when I saw the article. I was like, “What does that mean?” To begin with, Chikuzuke does not have a system of “red marks,” so students are not aware of red marks. We do not use such a term.

We do not announce grades after regular examinations, and we do not know what rank you are in the grade. The average score of the class may be announced, but not by the teacher. The exam questions themselves are designed differently for each teacher. Some teachers use the results of previous classes and studies, while others ask very difficult questions, such as past exams from top universities. In such exams, the average score of the class is sometimes less than 30 points.

The school is known for its free and open school culture, and the teachers are also free spirited.

Therefore, students study for the university entrance exam not at school but at cram schools. The atmosphere at the school is that students should not worry too much about their grades at school.

In such a situation, the first-year son, Eugene, was asked

I haven’t heard any rumors that his grades are bad. He is only a first-year student, and I don’t know much about his grades to begin with (laughs). Said by a student who is also in his  first-year.

If you are thinking about the entrance examination, cram schools and open-book examinations are very important. There is no need to be happy or sad about the regular examinations at our school.

Parents should believe in their children.

Both Princess Akishino and Princess Noriko entered Gakushuin University “from the bottom up” and have no experience in so-called entrance examinations.

A parent of a third-year student said, “I am very worried about the entrance examinations.  In December, other schools started to recommend or designate schools for entrance examinations. I heard that some other schools have already decided to admit their students to universities through methods other than general entrance examinations, such as designated school recommendations, and AO entrance examinations. As a parent, I can’t say that I am not worried. However, the game, including the University of Tokyo, is just beginning. We just have to believe in our children’s efforts and quietly support them.

There are some reports that Princess Noriko is eyeing to enter the University of Tokyo and may be aiming for a recommendation.

According to a Todai student who teaches at a cram school specializing in entrance exams for the University of Tokyo, “Many people who come to Todai with recommendations are people who could easily get in even if they took the entrance exam normally. Or, they are geniuses who are active in international competitions such as the Math Olympiad or have outstanding talent in a specific field and have no time to study for other subjects! They are the type of “gifted child” who has good grades at school and has been enthusiastic about volunteer activities, which is generally required for private university recommendations.

If this is the case, studying hard in a normal way may be the quickest way for most high school students who wish to enter the University of Tokyo.

“I was surprised to hear about the red marks,” he said. I was like, ‘What’s going on?’ There are people who know about grades that we don’t even know about. Our school is not an entrance examination oriented school, but a senior high school, and the atmosphere is such that students can even be ronin if they want to.”

We hope that His Highness Prince Hisahito will enjoy his high school life in a carefree manner, gaining experiences that he can only have now, such as playing in the badminton club, participating in school events, and socializing with his friends. At least, that seems to be the sincere hope of the alumni.