Standard Individualized Education

Standard Individualized Education (個別指導塾スタンダード, Kobetsu Shidō Juku Standard) is a Japanese chain of individualized tutoring schools, commonly known as juku, operated by SC Network Co., Ltd. The brand positions itself as an affordable one-on-one style tutoring service for students from elementary school through high school, with lessons priced from about 5,060 yen per subject per month for elementary students taking two subjects. It advertises no enrollment fee and no annual fee, a free trial lesson, and a customer satisfaction rate of 95.8% based on parent evaluations. The schools offer individualized curricula tailored to each student's level, a choice of subjects, days and times, and a proprietary app that lets families check lesson progress and homework and contact the school by chat at any time. The company also runs an online self-study room where students can ask teachers questions for free across five subjects, and an online specialized classroom (SS Kobetsu) for advanced or specialized instruction. The brand has historically operated across a large part of Japan, including Aomori, Hokuriku, Aichi, Kansai, Chugoku, Shikoku and Kyushu, covering 23 prefectures at its peak. The business was founded in January 2001 by Tomoaki Yoshida and incorporated in January 2002 as Standard Company, a limited company, before changing its name to Kabushiki Kaisha Kobetsu Shidō Juku Standard in June 2013. At its height it operated around 500 classrooms and considered a stock-market listing. However, a 2017 workplace harassment scandal exposed weaknesses in internal governance, and revenue fell from about 8.218 billion yen in the fiscal year ended March 2019 to about 3.035 billion yen in the fiscal year ended March 2023. The COVID-19 pandemic produced many unprofitable schools, and on June 28, 2024, the operating company and its parent SC Holdings filed for civil rehabilitation at the Fukuoka District Court, with liabilities of about 6.038 billion yen and 4.342 billion yen respectively. In the rehabilitation process, Sōei Corporation, which operates the Sōei Seminar chain, was selected as sponsor. The businesses of the two companies were transferred to a new receiving company, SC Network Co., Ltd., established by Sōei Corporation in November 2024, effective March 1, 2025. SC Network is headquartered in the same Yokohama Landmark Tower as Sōei Corporation, and the Standard brand continues to operate under SC Network while the old companies continue their civil rehabilitation proceedings.

The business was founded in January 2001 by Tomoaki Yoshida. In January 2002 it was reorganized as a limited company under the name Standard Company (有限会社スタンダードカンパニー), and in June 2013 it changed its trade name to Kabushiki Kaisha Kobetsu Shidō Juku Standard (株式会社個別指導塾スタンダード). The company grew into a nationwide chain of individualized tutoring schools, at one point operating around 500 classrooms and considering a stock-market listing. It expanded across a wide area of Japan, including Aomori, Hokuriku, Aichi, Kansai, Chugoku, Shikoku and Kyushu, and served students from the first grade of elementary school through the third year of high school. In 2017, power harassment at the company was taken up by the media, revealing deficiencies in internal management. Revenue, which had been about 8.218 billion yen in the fiscal year ended March 2019, fell to about 3.035 billion yen in the fiscal year ended March 2023. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a surge of unprofitable schools, worsening cash flow. Although the company closed unprofitable schools, repayment of borrowings and interest burdens became a bottleneck, and on June 28, 2024, Kobetsu Shidō Juku Standard and its parent SC Holdings filed for civil rehabilitation with the Fukuoka District Court. Liabilities were about 6.038 billion yen for Kobetsu Shidō Juku Standard and about 4.342 billion yen for SC Holdings. Sōei Corporation, which operates Sōei Seminar, was selected as sponsor for the two companies' rehabilitation. In November 2024, the three companies signed an agreement to transfer the businesses operated by Kobetsu Shidō Juku Standard and SC Holdings to SC Network Co., Ltd., a receiving company established by Sōei Corporation. The businesses were transferred to SC Network effective March 1, 2025, and from that date the Standard tutoring schools have been operated by SC Network. SC Network's headquarters is in the same Yokohama Landmark Tower as Sōei Corporation. Kobetsu Shidō Juku Standard and SC Holdings continue their civil rehabilitation proceedings after the business transfer.

• 2025

  Businesses transferred to SC Network effective March 1; Standard schools operated by SC Network thereafter.

• 2024

  Filed for civil rehabilitation with SC Holdings at the Fukuoka District Court on June 28.

• 2024

  Sōei Corporation selected as rehabilitation sponsor; agreement signed in November to transfer businesses to SC Network.

• 2023

  Revenue fell to about 3.035 billion yen for the fiscal year ended March 2023.

• 2019

  Revenue was about 8.218 billion yen for the fiscal year ended March 2019.

• 2017

  Power harassment scandal reported in the media, revealing internal management deficiencies.

• 2013

  Changed trade name to Kabushiki Kaisha Kobetsu Shidō Juku Standard in June.

• 2002

  Reorganized as a limited company, Standard Company, in January.

• 2001

  Founded in January by Tomoaki Yoshida.

Affordable, individualized tutoring for elementary through high-school students, emphasizing low prices, free enrollment, flexible scheduling, and app-based family communication.

• Individualized tutoring

  One-on-one style lessons for elementary, junior-high and high-school students, priced from 5,060 yen per subject per month for elementary students taking two subjects.

• Seasonal courses

  Spring, summer and winter intensive courses for elementary, junior-high and high-school students.

• Online self-study room

  A free online service where students can ask teachers questions across five subjects.

• SS Kobetsu

  An online specialized classroom allowing students to take lessons from highly specialized teachers nationwide.

• HOME STUDY

  A homework system that sends weekly homework emails to parents and supports repeated practice at home.

• Progress management app

  An app that lets families check lesson progress and homework and contact the school by chat 24 hours a day.

1. 1TOP | 個別指導塾スタンダードstd-ie.jp
2. 2学習指導内容 | 個別指導塾スタンダードstd-ie.jp
3. 3高校生の個別指導 | 個別指導塾スタンダードstd-ie.jp
4. 4スタンダードの2つの秘策 | 個別指導塾スタンダードstd-ie.jp
5. 5個別指導塾スタンダード - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org
6. 6Standard Individualized Education - Wikidatawikidata.org