DepEd officials share the best practices of Japanese education system for quality education
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) sent 10 officials from central and regional offices of the Department of Education (DepEd) to a two-week training and immersion in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, from September 1 to 14, continuing from last year, to observe and learn from the best practices in the Japanese education system.
The participants from the Philippines were able to experience firsthand Japanese-style holistic education or Tokkatsu especially, which is a new and innovative method for them to foster students’ values and other capabilities on top of intellect.
This JICA program, which aims to strengthen the technical knowledge and further enhance the skills of the participating educators, involved not only site visits to schools and relevant offices, but well-rounded discussions on curriculum guidelines and textbook development process, education administration, and teacher education, among others.
To ensure that all vital aspects are covered, selected representatives from the National Educators Academy of the Philippines, Bureau of Curriculum Development, Bureau of Learning Resources, and Bureau of Learning Delivery, as well as from two public schools in Region IV-A (Calabarzon) participated.
Citing a report by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom II), Filipino learners are lagging behind their Asian neighbors and showing deficiencies in several basic education skills.
Recognizing that the gravity and nature of the Philippines’ education challenges require a long-term and institutional-level intervention, and multi-stakeholder action JICA continues its efforts to co-create possible solutions through various cooperation, such as providing opportunities to study the Japanese way of doing things.
The participants were impressed by and appreciated how Japan puts emphasis on learner-centered learning methods, well-structured textbooks based on the national curriculum, as well as teachers’ education and professional development, among others.
It also became apparent that having a functional organizational structure, with each agency fully understanding its role in the hierarchy, so to speak, is crucial to the success of Japan’s education system.
Armed with a fresh perspective, the participants are eager to flesh out and implement their findings, takeaways and recommendations in their home organizations and partner agencies, ensuring that every action or program is tailored to the Philippine setting and will contribute to the overall goal of strengthening the country’s education system. JICA Philippines
