Eight delegates from the Ministry of Education, Education Office, and principals of elementary schools, accompanied by an interpreter and two personnel from Japan International Cooperation Agency visited the Secondary School attached to the Faculty of Education, the University of Tokyo on May 19, 2016.

Professor Ryoko Tsuneyoshi, also the principal of the Secondary School attached to the Faculty of Education, the University of Tokyo explained the characteristics of the attached secondary school such as its collaboration with the University of Tokyo, its goal to nurture holistic talents of students instead of the narrow focus on academic success, and students’ engagement to research projects. Professor Tsuneyoshi also clarified the Japanese education system including the holistic development of children, Tokkatsu.

The delegate took a tour of the school, learned about Tokkatsu with an example of lunch activity by DVD, and observed a Home Economics lesson. The lesson topic was about table etiquette. The delegates learned how to use chopsticks properly along with the students.

There were many questions from the delegates: if all schools conduct the same activities for Tokkatsu, the relevance of Tokkatsu activities to the curriculum, how to plan for lessons, whether Home Economics class and cleaning activities are mandatory, whether there is punishment for students who do not engage in cleaning activities seriously, and what is the rate of university enrollment and employment. The school principals are considering to conduct Tokkatsu activities in Egypt based on what they learned from the visit to Japanese schools.

（By Kanako Kusanagi, Project Researcher, Center for Excellence in School Education）