Minister of Education Accompanies Japanese Parliamentary Delegation
Mr. Mohamed Abdel Latif, Minister of Education and Technical Education, accompanied a high-level delegation from the Japanese Parliament on a visit to the Egyptian-Japanese School in Obour City this morning. The visit aimed to familiarize the delegation with the Egyptian-Japanese school experience and to examine the mechanisms for implementing the Japanese educational model within Egyptian schools.
The Japanese parliamentary delegation included Mr. Oi Satoshi, Member of the House of Councillors from the Liberal Democratic Party; Dr. Yokoyama Shinichi, Member of the House of Councillors from the Komeito Party; Ms. Uchikoshi Sakura, Member of the House of Councillors from the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Social Democratic Party, and Independents; Mr. Yamaguchi Nobuhiro, Senior Assistant Researcher at the Research Office of the Standing Committee on the Environment; and Mr. Nimori Yuhei, Researcher at the Research Office of the Standing Committee on Budget.
Representing the Ministry of Education was Ms. Nevin Hammouda, Advisor to the Minister for Strategic Relations and Supervisor of Egyptian-Japanese Schools.
During the visit, Minister of Education and Technical Education Mohamed Abdel Latif affirmed that the partnership with Japan has contributed to transferring leading educational expertise and supporting the state's direction towards developing education according to the best international standards.
The Minister added that Egyptian-Japanese schools represent one of the important pillars for developing the education system in Egypt, noting that the state's interest in this educational model began with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's visit to a Japanese school in Japan in 2018, which marked a true starting point for expanding this type of school.
The Minister explained that this visit reflected the political leadership's belief in the importance of adopting modern educational models that focus on building the student's character and developing their skills and human values alongside academic achievement. This is something the Ministry is keen to translate into reality through expanding the establishment and development of Egyptian-Japanese schools in various governorates across the country.
Minister Mohamed Abdel Latif stated that the Ministry currently operates 79 schools and is working to expand to approximately 500 schools within five years, in accordance with presidential directives.
For their part, the Japanese parliamentary delegation expressed their appreciation for the high level of implementation of the Japanese educational model at the school. They commended the Egyptian experience's seriousness and its commitment to preserving the core of the Japanese educational philosophy, particularly regarding the development of positive values and behaviors among students.
The delegation members affirmed that what they witnessed at the school reflects the depth of the partnership between the two countries in the field of education and demonstrates the success of the Egyptian experience in adapting a global educational model with a distinctive Egyptian spirit.
During the visit, the Minister and the Japanese delegation toured various classrooms, laboratories, and activity halls. They observed examples of diverse educational activities implemented by the students, reflecting the Japanese educational philosophy based on character development, the promotion of positive values, teamwork, and discipline, alongside academic achievement.
The Minister and the Japanese delegation also visited the computer lab while students were learning programming and using the SPL mathematics application. They also visited several second-year preparatory classes, where they observed an Arabic language lesson that utilized a participatory learning approach, dividing students into working groups to enhance their dialogue and cooperation skills.
The Minister and members of the Japanese delegation also witnessed a "Classroom Council" meeting, held under the theme "Let's Listen Together." This council is a cornerstone of the Japanese "Tokkatsu" system, which aims to develop students' personalities, enhance their ability to express their opinions, respect others, and take responsibility. The council discussed how to best utilize the first semester and what students can do during the second semester to achieve better academic and behavioral results.
The Minister and the delegation listened to the students' suggestions and opinions, reflecting the philosophy of these schools in preparing a generation capable of critical thinking and positive participation.
As part of their observation of various activities, the Minister and the Japanese delegation attended a music lesson. During the lesson, they listened to a Japanese piece from the Yamaha curriculum. The students delivered an outstanding performance of a short piece from the curriculum, demonstrating their level of training and artistic discipline, and highlighting the role of music in developing aesthetic taste and boosting self-confidence.
They also attended a physical education class for the fifth grade of primary school, which included an explanation of the rules of basketball and their practical application, which contributes to consolidating the values of teamwork, commitment to rules and sportsmanship among students, and confirms the interest of Egyptian-Japanese schools in building the student physically and behaviorally in addition to his academic excellence.