2-day open lecture by Dr.Yasuno Saito

We had a wonderful and meaningful 2-day open lecture by Dr.Yasuno Saito on Nov.6 and 7. On the first day, Dr. Saito kindly gave a lecture on the whole history of modern education system development in Japan from a socio-political perspective. According to the lecture, there were some factors contributing to successful, rapid development of modernization. Socially, there was no religious, linguistic obstacle in education and the public awareness of the importance of education was very high. Japan had not experienced colonization of any country and it provided diversity for benchmarking foreign education model. Politically, the Prime Minister of Cabinet promoted modernization of politics and the Minister of Education who had studied in the U.S. and U.K. had a strong will to modernize the education system in Japan. Fortunately, in spite of controversies and different views between conservative and progressive or practical lines, they shared the same goal on the educational development and national development. Finally, a full-fledged national education system and an efficient administration system which combined centralization and decentralization had been developed in Japan.

Second day’s lecture focused more on the issue of the universal primary education and popular literacy. At the beginning, Japan faced many difficulties such as parents’ discontents on Western textbooks, financial difficulties and extremely low attendance rate of girls. Dr. Saito showed us an interesting photo of “Komori class” and some questions in the test and a survey actually conducted at that time. The experience of how Japan achieved universal primary education and fought against illiteracy can be a very helpful lesson for many developing countries.
As a foreign student, I enjoyed the lectures very much. It gave me a systematical understanding on the history of educational development in Japan and a good idea of analyzing socio-political factors influencing educational development.

ガーナ訪問

はじめまして。
M1の近藤菜月です。

先月、２月１２日から２８日までの約二週間、ガーナに行ってきました。
今回の目的は、北部ガーナの唯一の大学であるUniversity of Development Studies(UDS)のWaとTamaleにあるキャンパスの訪問でしたが、その他にも一人で観光地をまわったり、同じ山田ゼミの先輩である北見静英奈さんや他のJICA協力隊のみなさんをはじめ、現地の国際開発分野で活躍されている日本人の方々にお会いしたり、それらの方々との旅行に飛び入り参加させていただいたり、GSIDのガーナ人の友達の一時帰国に合わせて現地で会ったりなど盛りだくさんの２週間でした。

ここでは写真とともにガーナで出会った素敵な人々のことを紹介しつつ、思い出を振り返りたいと思います。
　
▼ついた次の日から早速一人でケープコースト、エルミナ、カクムナショナルパークをまわる一泊二日の小旅行へ。2日間案内してくれたドライバーのコフィ。

私が出会ったガーナの人々は皆本当に親切で、行く先々で助けてもらいましたが、タクシーだけはどこに行ってもまずぼったくりな金額を要求されます。でも、少し会話をして仲良くなると“Because you are my friend.”と言って何もなかったかのように適当な値段に戻し、また危ない目に合わないように&不便が無いように現地を案内してくれたりと、とても親身になってくれました。コフィもそんな友人の一人。


UDSのWaキャンパスでは、先生方と一対一でお話しする機会を頂きました。ガーナの先生方は自分の指導生を “She is my daughter”と紹介したりするので、初めはびっくりしましたが、どの先生も皆指導生との関係が濃くて、温かいガーナ人らしくて素敵だなと感じました。どの先生もパワフルで教育熱心な方々で、突然日本からやってきた学生相手に忙しい中時間を割いて下さり、ガーナの発展についてそれぞれの視点からお話ししてくださいました。

▼フリシア先生（手前）とクワンサン先生（奥）とマミーズキッチンにて。ここのフフがとてもおいしい！

▼生活面のことをいろいろサポートしてくださったジョイス先生。とても姉御肌で愛情深い先生です。毎晩様子を見に来てくださって部屋でお話したり、ジョイス先生の部屋で手料理をいただいたりしました。

TamaleのキャンパスではGordana先生と山田先生にお会いして、いくつもの学部を回りました。とても立派な建物にびっくり！ガーナ人はとてもおしゃれで、特に大学は華やかな生徒が多いです。伝統服を着ている生徒も多く、洋服を着ていてもどこかガーナらしさがあります。個人的にガーナの鮮やかな伝統服がとても好きなので、大学のような若い人たちが集まる場所でも、伝統服を着こなしている光景がいつまでも見られるといいなあと感じました。
▼山田先生の講演の様子



▼後ろ姿しかないのですが、Tamale,　Wa の両方で沢山お世話になったバーナードさん。とても長い時間一緒にいたので、研究の話、ガーナと日本の話など、いろんな話をしました。バーナードさんのサポートがなかったら、あんなに楽しく過ごすこともUDSであんなに沢山学ぶこともできなかったと思います。


初めてのアフリカ、初めてのガーナで、はじめの方こそ、騙されるのではとびくびくしたり、ゲストハウスやレストランで出される水を飲むのが怖かったりと何かと警戒していた私ですが、数日経つともう路上で買い食いをするようになり、バスタブのゴキブリに動じなくなり、トイレやシャワーが使えなければマーケットに行って桶を買ってくるなど、私自身たった２週間の間にも少しはたくましくなったかな？と感じます。
今回、特にUDSの先生方からは、ガーナの近代化と伝統の折り合いについて考えさせられるようなお話を聞くことができました。実際に現地を訪れたことで、これまで自分の頭の中だけでぐるぐるしていた問題意識の向こう側に、実際に生きている人々を感じられるようになったことは、私にとって大きな変化でした。今回得たことを大事にして、次回の訪問に向けてしっかり準備していきたいと思います。
また二週間滞在してみて、ガーナを、ガーナの人々を好きになれたことがとても嬉しかったです。美しい伝統衣装に身を包んで頭に沢山の荷物を載せて歩くたくましい女性たち、会って１０秒で“my friend”,“sister”と言ってくる人懐っこいガーナの人々、感情豊かで愛情深く、ガーナを心から愛しているUDS の先生方、アフリカを感じさせる赤い大地。またガーナを訪れる日が待ち遠しいです。

Achi village trip 2014(Feb.7~8)

Hello. This is Xuemei. I would like to report Achi village trip on the blog.This year, seven students (Yuki, Zhang Ling, Lan, Lyn, Nikki and I), Yamada sensei and Dr. Desalegn (a visiting scholar from Ethiopia) participated in this trip. Natsuki organized the trip together, but she couldn’t go with us because of a health problem.
The participants were exited at the beginning on the bus to Achi village, but they felt asleep soon. We arrived in Seinaiji primary school earlier than expected, and fortunately invited Chair of Education committee of Nagano prefecture to talk about the role of education committee and her experience as a student at Seinaiji primary school.
From 10:50, we had 30-minute class observation. Since there are only 29 students in total, each grade has only one class. The 2nd period was a Math class. We observed how teachers teach in each grade and how students react in the classes. We could notice their talent based on the paintings they posted on the wall at the back of the classroom and handiworks exhibited at a hall way.


Then we moved to the music room to have interchange time with these children. Five of GSID students introduced their countries and cultures, and taught them how to greet people in their countries. Lyn, Lan and I dressed our traditional clothes, and Dr.Desalegn showed them the Ethiopian accessories, and Nikki scared the students with a popular children song in the Philippines with a handmade bomb speaker. Yuki translated Dr.Desalegn and Nikki’s English to Japanese and Zhang Ling took pictures and Yamada sensei helped us to explain some difficult words to children. Thanks to active participation of the children and our good teamwork, the session finished successfully.


During the lunch time, GSID members were divided into six groups to have school meal together with children. And then, we played game called “Deliver messages by whisper”, whose rule is that only the first student of the each line can hear the pronunciation from native speaker and then whispers the word to the second student until it reaches the last student. 29 students actively participated in the game and the cooperation among them was really good. We gave them chocolate as a present. Even though they received only four small pieces of chocolates, they were really happy.


After taking a memorial photo with students and teachers, we continued our village tour. The tour guide, the same person as last year, kindly introduced the village and invited us to his home to show us his younger brother’s wood printing arts.

At the end of the program, the principal of the primary school gave a short lecture about current situation and school management. He introduced multi-grade classes and several main activities such as festivals, voluntary works and interchange program.
To me, it was a healing time. I hope all participants did enjoy the trip.

Below is Nikki’s impression.
The trip was both memorable and interesting for me especially the visit to the Seinaiji elementary school. It is because it is very different from my Philippine experience. Public elementary schools in my country are usually crowded and do not have enough facilities and teachers. Also, sometimes these children go to school with food that are not nutritious or without any food at all. In Japan, it is nice to see that children enjoy delicious food and healthy food. But, what is common to both these Japanese and Filipino children is that they are happy who only wants to learn and live their lives.
I always believe that basic education is very important as a foundation of the adult life of children. I hope the Philippines can improve its primary education system in terms of access and quality.

An open seminar on Higher Education in Africa

We had a wonderful lecture about “New approaches to higher education in Africa: Example of University for Development Studies, Tamale” given by Prof. Kranjac-Berisavljevic(Prof.KB) on October 30.
At first, I would like to introduce the lecturer. Prof.KB is a professor of Agricultural Engineering at University for Development Studies (UDS), and had worked as a visiting scholar at Tokyo University.
In the lecture, she introduced current development situation of African tertiary education and challenges it is facing. She discussed about brain drain issues and comprehensive stakeholder engagement. And then, she raised University for Development Studies (UDS) as an example. The university was established to promote equitable socio-economic transformation of communities and it currently hosts about 20 000 students distributed over 4 campuses. To me, the most interesting part of the lecture was the Third Trimester Field Practical Programme (TTFPP). It is similar to OFW program of GSID, but giving more emphasis to field work. All students of UDDS spend first two trimesters in the classrooms and go to the filed within rural communities in the third trimester. The field work team composes of eight to ten students from different major lives and work together in the rural area under supervision from the university.
There were 11 GSID students participating in the seminar. It was a very valuable, meaningful time for us, especially for some students who are really interested in African study.

On the way to Nagoya station she told me it was the last day of her stay in Japan. I hope it could be one of her good memories in Japan.



P.S Thank LiuJing senpai for taking these nice photos.

Congratulations Liu Jing Senpai!

Hello. This is Xuemei, who will be a D1 student from next semester.
Since Liu Jing was selected as one of the winners of 12th Asia Pacific Research Prize, I attended the prize giving ceremony to witness his achievement on August 2. I would like to share some highlights of the ceremony. Four winners received the prize, a Japanese, two Chinese and a Mongolian. Their name and research topics are listed below.
1) Arihiro Minoo, The anthropological study of the impact of fair trade on coffee farmers: a case study of coffee farmers’ villages in the Bolaven plateau of southern Laos
2) Almas, A study about the Ownership of Farmlands and its Contracts in Inner Mongolia during Manchu Qing Period: Cases in Guihuacheng Tumed Banner
3) Jing Liu, The Development of Inequality in Public School Admission: Public Discourse on Ze Xiao and Practices in Urban China
4) Dalaibuyan Byambajav, Post-socialist transition and civil society in Mongolia


Picture1. Four winners sitting on the stage (From right to left: 1), 2), 3), 4)

Stoshi Iue, the Representative Director of Asia Pacific Forum, Awaji Conference, made the Opening address, and presented the certificates and souvenirs to the winners.


Picture2. Liu Jing receiving the certificate


Picture3. Liu Jing’s certificate of prize

After receiving the prize, each winner delivered a speech lasting about four minutes. They briefly summarized their dissertation, and expressed thanks to their family and supervisor. Liu Jing said: “今回の受賞は、多くの人々に支えていただいたおかげです。この席を借りて、ご指導くださった山田肖子先生ならびに名古屋大学国際開発研究科の先生方、そして建設的な批判をしてくださった研究仲間に心よりお礼を申し上げます”。(My translation) For this award, I thank a lot of people who had supported me. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Yamada Sensei and other Sensei at GSID of Nagoya University who had supervised my research and to research fellows who had gave me the constructive comments.


Picture4. Liu Jing delivering his speech

After that three professionals gave the Commemorative lecture about Energy security.

For me, it was the first time to participate in an international symposium in Japan and also in an award ceremony. I was motivated a lot by Liu Jing and other winners. I felt so proud of him and our Yamada seminar.
I hope that someday I would be there as a winner.


Picture5. After finishing the forum

Achi village trip 2013 (Feb.1st - 2nd),

Hello, we are Shasha from China and Yoon from Korea, on behalf of participants of Achi village trip 2013,
we would like to post our impression of Achi village trip on here.

We visited Seinaiji primary school on the 1st of Febrary, which is located in a very small village called Achi, Nagano prefecture, and surrounded a beautiful mountain and view. During the trip, we were very impressed by beautiful and peaceful nature, and its level of development, which can never link with traditional concept of village.

On arriving at Seinaiji primary school, we were able to observe the classes as well as school facilities while children were taking class. Even though there are 27 students in total, there were many works by children on the wall at backside of classroom and at hall way, implying how much they are enjoying their school life in the small Achi village.

The quiz and game session we prepared for children was very enjoyable thanks to the children’s active participation. At the quiz session called ‘Guess who I am!’, we showed some pictures from our countries such as traditional foods or famous place in our countries, and asked what it is to children. Surprisingly, many children knew quite many things about our countries unlike our expectation that quiz session may take time because it is a bit difficult.
At the game session, we did one of the Chinese games called ‘Making funny face’ and we were impressed again by the cooperation among students. Grade six students take care of other students so that all students could equally participate in game, and they followed the rule very well and respected the results each other.


Since snow was covering on the ground of school, we went out for snowball fight and sliding over the snow in a sleigh during lunchtime. It was one of the daily lives for children but it has been more than 10years since we sledged last time so we were a little scary. But we had so much fun !

After lunch break, we also had an opportunity to listen the presentation from teacher regarding the current circumstance of Seinaiji primary school and its challenges they are facing.

According to the story from teacher, with the decreasing population in the village and mobility of previous residents to big cities, the Seinaiji primary school is now encountering serious problem of multi-grade. However, different from multi-grade phenomenon in most developing countries due to poverty and lack of teaching resources, the multi-grade in Seinaiji primary school is mainly caused by lack of students. Sometimes, one grade has only 3 or 4 students which under the level of requesting teachers, then, the school have to try different types of teaching methods to solve the problem. Multi-grade is one of their strategies to combine two grades in one classroom and distribute different tasks to different grade students simultaneously. Although they are still at the experimental level of this teaching method, the attempt will provide innovative methods for the solution of the problem. Moreover, amazingly, although it is a primary school in village and involving in decreasing of student enrolment, the children are enjoying the same educational facility standards and abundant campus activities as schools in other areas, even in big cities within Japan. From the happy life of these kids, we have seen the commitment and efforts from the school and village to guarantee the education quality in spite of small number and more careful concern from teachers to each student.

Finally, this trip was such a great opportunity for us to visit truly village in Japan and understand Japanese traditional life through such close investigation. We would like to express our gratitude to professor Yamada for providing this opportunity. We really spent enjoyable and unforgettable time in Nagano.