A leading Japanese Educationalist has praised the Isle of Man's comprehensive schools.
Professor Katsu Namimoto, of Rissho University in Tokyo, became interested in the Island's education system after attending a lecture by Dr Linda Cottier at a conference in Cambridge in 2003.
Professor Namimoto kept in touch with the department of education and, five years later, has travelled to the Island with his wife to gain first hand experience of the system.
He cites a rigid government as the main reason for the relative lack of provision in Japanese schools (audio file attached):
(Picture, left to right: Professor Namimoto, his wife Ikumu and Dr Barbara Cottier).
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