A-bombing date and time correctly identified by record low number of students
Aug. 1, 2011
by Takamasa Kyoren, Staff Writer
It was learned on July 27 that only one in three students, or 33 percent, of students in the fourth through sixth grades at Hiroshima elementary schools could correctly identify when the atomic bomb was dropped on the city. This finding comes from a survey conducted by the Hiroshima City Board of Education, which has been undertaking such surveys once every five years since 1995. Since the previous survey, the figure for elementary school students has dropped 16.6 points. The percentage of junior high school students providing the correct answer was 55.7 percent. Results for both groups of students are at an all-time low.
The survey was carried out between June and August 2010 in randomly selected elementary, junior high, and senior high schools, and at events sponsored by the board of education. The three questions involved the year, the month and day, and the time of the atomic bombing. The respondents consisted of 1,153 fourth to sixth graders, 1,047 junior high school students and 587 senior high school students.
Senior high school students were included in the survey for the first time, and 66.3 percent of the respondents correctly answered all three questions. As with elementary school students, the ratio of perfect answers dropped sharply for junior high school students, down 11.9 points. Students were also asked to answer the same questions about the atomic bombing in Nagasaki. The percentages of elementary, junior high, and senior high school students who correctly answered all three questions about Nagasaki were 4.5, 12.2, and 16.8 percent respectively.
The atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima at 8:15 a.m. on August 6, 1945, while the bombing in Nagasaki occurred at 11:02 a.m. on August 9, 1945. The board of education has judged the results to be a sign of declining interest in the atomic bombings among students now that more than 60 years have passed since the incidents. For the 2013 academic year, the city is planning to initiate a new peace education program in public schools, and more emphasis will be placed on passing down experiences of the atomic bombing.
(Originally published on July 28, 2011)
It was learned on July 27 that only one in three students, or 33 percent, of students in the fourth through sixth grades at Hiroshima elementary schools could correctly identify when the atomic bomb was dropped on the city. This finding comes from a survey conducted by the Hiroshima City Board of Education, which has been undertaking such surveys once every five years since 1995. Since the previous survey, the figure for elementary school students has dropped 16.6 points. The percentage of junior high school students providing the correct answer was 55.7 percent. Results for both groups of students are at an all-time low.
The survey was carried out between June and August 2010 in randomly selected elementary, junior high, and senior high schools, and at events sponsored by the board of education. The three questions involved the year, the month and day, and the time of the atomic bombing. The respondents consisted of 1,153 fourth to sixth graders, 1,047 junior high school students and 587 senior high school students.
Senior high school students were included in the survey for the first time, and 66.3 percent of the respondents correctly answered all three questions. As with elementary school students, the ratio of perfect answers dropped sharply for junior high school students, down 11.9 points. Students were also asked to answer the same questions about the atomic bombing in Nagasaki. The percentages of elementary, junior high, and senior high school students who correctly answered all three questions about Nagasaki were 4.5, 12.2, and 16.8 percent respectively.
The atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima at 8:15 a.m. on August 6, 1945, while the bombing in Nagasaki occurred at 11:02 a.m. on August 9, 1945. The board of education has judged the results to be a sign of declining interest in the atomic bombings among students now that more than 60 years have passed since the incidents. For the 2013 academic year, the city is planning to initiate a new peace education program in public schools, and more emphasis will be placed on passing down experiences of the atomic bombing.
(Originally published on July 28, 2011)
