Soka education is an educational “stance” derived from the educational philosophies of Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and Daisaku Ikeda. Although their ideas have a concordance with several ideas in Nichiren Buddhism such as an individual’s ability to impact on the interdependence and potential enlightenment of all aspects of life, Soka education is a secular approach which shares much in common with other humanistic teachings that prize values such as hope, courage and passion. It emphasizes the nurturing of students who, through their relationships with educators themselves attempting inner revolution, are capable of establishing personal happiness and creating value in society.
Tsunesaburo Makiguchi (1871-1944) was an early 20th Century Japanese educator and philosopher who believed that “the realization of happiness is the primary purpose of education and that all educational plans and programs must begin with this basic understanding” (Bethel, 1989, p. 17). Makiguchi founded the Soka Kyoiku Gakkai ("Value Creating Educational Society") in 1930 and served as its first president.
Inspired by the vision of his two predecessors, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and Josei Toda, Daisaku Ikeda, the third president of the Soka Gakkai, founded Soka Junior High School and Soka High School in 1968 and then Soka University of Japan in 1971. Currently, there are 13 additional Soka schools: five Soka Kindergartens in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, and Brazil; three Soka elementary schools in Tokyo, Kansai, and Brazil; an additional Soka junior high school and high school in Kansai; Soka Junior Women’s College in Tokyo; and Soka University of America in California, which received accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) in 2005.
