The Egyptian-Japanese School in October Gardens Welcomes the Ministers of Education of Egypt and Japan

The Egyptian-Japanese School in October Gardens welcomed Mr. Mohamed Abdel Latif, Minister of Education and Technical Education; Ms. Abe Toshiko, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, as part of her first visit to Egypt; and Mr. Iwai Fumio, Ambassador of Japan to the Arab Republic of Egypt. The visit comes within the framework of the fruitful strategic partnership between the two countries in the education sector, and aims to review the successes achieved by Egyptian-Japanese schools in implementing Tokkatsu activities and developing students' integrated skills.

The visit began with a warm official reception from the school's students, who expressed their warm welcome to the ministers by presenting them with bouquets of flowers as a token of appreciation and respect. They also inspected the school's classrooms and kindergarten halls, and observed students practicing various activities and coloring the sand with healthy colors in the schoolyard.

The two ministers also inspected the gymnasium and observed the classroom lectures. They praised the curriculum's presentation to students, along with the use of modern technology and smart screens to consolidate information.

The two ministers also attended the school's Student Council, which comprises 33 male and female students. During the session, students held discussion sessions to implement ideas. The session, titled "Let's Design a Blog for Our School Successes This Year," documented the school's successes, leveraged them, and involved the early grades in implementing them. The teacher's role was to determine the discussion methods and main themes for implementation.

The two ministers also monitored the implementation of "Tokkatsu" activities, which aim to develop students' personalities and enhance their life skills. They praised the advanced level of these activities. The two ministers also engaged in dialogue with the school's students about their knowledge of Japanese culture, their favorite subjects, their love of learning, and their leadership.

The visit also included an exhibition of handicrafts and student projects, which were created from recycled environmentally friendly materials and used to create models and projects to explain the curriculum, as well as the production of safe detergents, creams, perfumes, and scented candles.

Minister Mohamed Abdel Latif praised the visit of Dr. Abe Toshiko, the Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, stressing the Ministry's commitment to enhancing the benefits of Japan's pioneering educational experience, characterized by its ethics and discipline, and achieving balanced development of children's personalities through teamwork. He also emphasized the importance of activating academic activities and enhancing student activities in schools, bringing them up to international standards. He noted that Egyptian-Japanese schools embody the fruits of the strategic partnership between Egypt and Japan in the development of pre-university education, as this model of schools has succeeded in transferring and adapting the Japanese educational philosophy to suit Egyptian society, while preserving its educational essence. For her part, Ms. Abe Toshiko, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, expressed her happiness with her first visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt and her meeting with Mr. Mohamed Abdel Latif, Minister of Education and Technical Education, within the framework of the distinguished educational partnership between the two countries. She praised the clear success of the Egyptian-Japanese schools during her visit, stressing that they have become an inspiring educational model, reflecting the constructive interaction between Japanese educational culture and the Egyptian environment. She also commended Minister Mohamed Abdel Latif's efforts to develop the Egyptian education system in all its aspects and expressed her pride in the Egyptian-Japanese cooperation in the educational field.

Ms. Abe Toshiko added that implementing Tokkatsu activities in these schools according to Japanese standards is a major achievement.

The Japanese Minister of Education continued, "We, at the Japanese Ministry of Education, are committed to continuing our cooperation with the Egyptian side and providing all necessary support to enhance the quality and development of this model, so that it remains a symbol of the strategic partnership between Japan and Egypt in building human capital through education."

It's worth noting that the Egyptian-Japanese School in October Gardens covers an area of ​​14,000 square meters and houses 48 classrooms and 822 students. The school consists of a building that includes the administrative department, activity rooms, laboratories, and a classroom building. It also includes a 600-square-meter football, volleyball, and basketball field and a running track. It also includes a 600-square-meter kindergarten garden, a gymnasium equipped with the latest sports equipment, a music room equipped with a variety of musical instruments, an art room equipped with the necessary art tools and materials, a library stocked with books and scientific encyclopedias appropriate for children's age groups, a science lab, and a computer lab.

The Egyptian-Japanese School in October Gardens is an inclusive school that supports the inclusion of students with special needs and includes a resource room and specialized teachers.

The Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology was accompanied by a delegation that included Mr. Kitayama Koji, Assistant Minister; Mr. Kondo Jun, Secretary to the Minister; Mr. Kitayama Koji, Director-General for International Affairs; Mr. Shoman Ai, Senior Specialist for Bilateral Educational Cooperation, International Affairs Division; Mr. Hamano Rin, Head of the International Affairs Management Unit; Ms. Tani Yukio, Second Secretary, Embassy of Japan in Egypt; and Mr. Kawashima Shizuki, Second Secretary, Embassy of Japan in Egypt.

From the JICA Egypt Office, the participants included Mr. Ebisawa Yu, Chief Representative, JICA Egypt Office; Mr. Yazaki Gentaro, Senior Representative, JICA Egypt Office; Ms. Dina Karam, Senior Program Manager; and Ms. Heba El-Husseini, Program Officer.