Document Type : Original Article

Author

• Maliheh rabiei

PhD in Islamic Philosophy of Education, Faculty Member at Farhangian University, Zeinabieh Campus in Pishva, Iran

Abstract

This study conducted a comparative analysis of employability skills within the primary education systems of Iran and Japan, focusing on macro-level policies and textbook content. identify effective strategies for fostering optimal employability outcomes. Employing a comparative research design with a qualitative approach—centered on document and thematic analysis—the study utilized Bereday's comparative model for data analysis.At the macro level, the research examined key policy documents and all primary-level social studies textbooks from both countries. A purposive sampling strategy, informed by the "stranger-familiar" concept, was adopted, selecting Japan as a high-performing reference system (the "stranger") and Iran as the domestic context (the "familiar"). Data were collected using a content analysis checklist based on core employability skill components. The instrument's validity was established through expert review, and its reliability was confirmed via inter-coder agreement measures following recoding procedures. Qualitative data were analyzed through thematic coding, while quantitative descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) were used to compare the prevalence of identified themes.The findings indicate that both educational systems emphasize the development of foundational cooperative skills, such as collaboration, adaptability, and responsibility. However, the Japanese system demonstrates a more pronounced and systematic emphasis on cultivating a broader range of employability skills. A distinctive finding is Japan's explicit focus on raising students' awareness of their nation's role in the international community, thereby fostering a global mindset and interest in worldwide engagement from an early age. The study concludes by highlighting the need for a strategic re-evaluation and innovative redesign of career education approaches.

Keywords

• Skill
• Employability
• Primary Education
• Iran
• Japan

Main Subjects

• مطالعات تطبیقی