ABSTRACT
U n t i l th e concep t o f l i fe lon g learnin g was in t roduce d t o Japan, th e approac h
generally adopted wa s k n o w n as socia l education. Socia l education was base d
o n th e Socia l Educa t ion A ct of 1949. T h is A ct d iv ided educatio n int o schoo l
education an d socia l education. Socia l education was define d a s all education
other tha n schoo l education. Socia l education bega n w i t h th e a i m o f ' g i v i ng a
learning opportuni t y t o th e younge r generatio n w h o wer e unabl e t o g o t o
h igh school ' : few student s cou l d atten d h ig h schoo l i n those days . I n socia l
education institution s in each locality , various classes fo r the younger genera -
t ion wer e introduced . I n thes e circumstances , a L a w for th e P r o m o t i o n o f
Y o u t h Classe s and a L aw for the P r o m o t i o n of W o m e n 's Classe s were estab -
lished. I n thi s sense , socia l educatio n (non-forma l educatio n fo r adult s an d
youth) too k th e rol e o f supplement ing schoo l education .
