Soka Schools
The Soka Junior and Senior High Schools established by Ikeda in Kodaira, Tokyo, in 1968, together with the founding of the Kansai Soka Junior and Senior High Schools five years later, represent the beginning of the development of the Soka School system, which today comprises kindergartens, elementary, and junior and senior high schools, a university in Japan and one in California, USA. Kindergartens have also been established in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Brazil. Both Kansai and Tokyo Soka High Schools (2015 and 2016, respectively) have been selected by the Japanese Education Ministry as two of 56 schools in the “Super Global High Schools” project.
The educational system is based on the pedagogy developed by founding Soka Gakkai President and educator Tsunesaburo Makiguchi. His belief that the core focus of education should be the lifelong happiness of the learner, his concern with the development of the unique personality of each child, and his emphasis on the importance of leading a socially contributive life describe the underlying ethos of Soka education today.
Ikeda writes:
“The starting point and essence of Soka (value-creating) education was the spirit to value each student’s individuality so that they could become happy and enjoy a glorious future. Education does not exist for the sake of the nation, for business or for religion. The aim of Soka education is the happiness of oneself and others, as well as society as a whole and peace for all humanity.” [1]
Comprehensive pamphlet for Soka Schools (English)
