At Kochi University, the JICA international training course, Improvement of Education in Remote Areas - For the Achievement of MDGs and EFA, was conducted from Thursday, September 3 through Wednesday, September 16.

In this training course, a total of 15 participants, including central and regional government officials, researchers and deans from the teacher training college from nine countries mainly in Africa and Asia visited a remote school for observation and practice training of the education method employed there and learned about the efforts by the local residents and the school support system.

In the initial training session, the participants first visited Kamitoba Elementary School, an elementary school in the urban area, and the participants were surprised by the active involvement of the pupils and their cleaning activities after the classes. After all, school cleaning is done by janitors in many countries.

In a training session in Kochi, the participants learned practical know-how of the education method employed at a remote school. After observing and learning the teaching method in the combined class at the Affiliated Elementary School of Kochi University, they participated in the practical training of preparing an instruction plan. They visited the remote Niyodogawa Municipal Befu Elementary School to observe how the in-school training was conducted and hear about the connection between the local community and the school from the PTA and people at the Elderly Citizen’s Association. At both schools, the participants took part in direct interaction with the students and had school lunch together with the students. They were surprised by the high level of education, the enthusiasm and dedication of the teachers and the close relationship between the school and the people in the community.

At the end of the training, the participants were assigned to prepare action plans for promoting the education reforms after returning to their home countries and a wide range of ideas, including the education reform proposal and the manual for preparing school teaching plans were presented.

Some feedback from the participants of the training program include, “I felt that the teaching method in the combined class in Japan could help students improve their abilities to solve problems and learn things as a team,” and “One thing that impressed me was in a remote area, the local community built a favorable relationship with the school through belief in the potential of the children with faith and hope.”

This training course was conducted by Kochi University on consignment from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as part of the development assistance of the government.

Kochi University intends to conduct the international training programs on education for the year ahead.