Hokkaido's public high school entrance exam application results for 2025 reveal concerning trends as the number of applicants continues to fall below available positions for the eleventh consecutive year. The Hokkaido Board of Education announced the figures on February 28, 2025, showing the educational challenges faced by the region.
For the upcoming exam, which is scheduled for March 4, 2025, public high schools across Hokkaido are set to fill 25,716 available spots across both full-time and part-time programs. These figures indicate not only the necessity to maintain recruitment within the school system but also point out systemic issues leading to the decrease.
The applicant-to-spot ratios highlight various levels of competition. Specific figures include Sapporo East with 1.6 times the applicants to spots available, Sapporo West at 1.4 times, Sapporo South at 1.3, and Sapporo North at 1.2.
"札幌東（普通）1.6倍、札幌西（普通）1.4倍、札幌南（普通）1.3倍、札幌北（普通）1.2倍など," noted the Hokkaido Board of Education, outlining these competitive ratios. The schools within the Ishikari district also showed varied demand, where Sapporo Keisei (science course) topped at 2.5 times.
Number crunching from previous years has shown some schools rising from their prior ratios. For example, Sapporo Teine moved from 1.0 to 1.1, and Sapporo Toyohira from 1.1 to 1.2, which signals slight increases compared to recalibrated expectations.
Other districts tracked include Kushiro Koryo (general studies) at 1.0, Hakodate Chubu (general) at 1.2, and Muroran Sakae (general) also ranked at 1.2. The statistics reveal uneven interest across different school types and locations, with some places experiencing more demand than others.
Despite the overall drop, the Sapporo City schools showcased multiple institutes with high ratios of interested candidates. Sapporo Kiyota (global studies) records 1.9, along with Sapporo Hiragishi (general) at 1.8, and Sapporo Ashikaga at 1.5 attracting interest from students.
The association of application pressure, according to educational experts, translates beyond mere numbers. Various factors are at play, including demographic changes, societal attitudes toward education, and shifting expectations from families and students alike. Some educators call for systemic reforms to attract more students to public high schools to balance the decreasing trends facing enrollment.
The recruitment process involved not only initial applications occurring from January 20 to January 23, but also reapplications from February 19 to February 21, adding another layer to the educational planning process. For students who did not secure positions during the initial rounds, reapplication was presented as the next viable chance.
With exams taking place on March 4 and follow-up interviews on March 5, the admissions process is slated to conclude with results released by March 17 at 10 AM. The pressure on students and schools alike remains palpable as they prepare for this significant date.
On the horizon, the educational community anticipates continued advocacy for quality education alongside efforts to reverse the trends indicated by these long-term statistics. The challenge lies not just within the numbers reported, but the cultural perception of high school education across Hokkaido.
Entities involved, including the Hokkaido Board of Education, are committed to investigating and implementing the innovations necessary to improve not only engagement among students but awareness around the value of public high schooling.