Egyptian-Japanese Schools launch Japanese language instruction for first prep students

Egypt’s Minister of Education and Technical Education Mohamed Abdel Latif and a high-level Japanese delegation inspected the Egyptian-Japanese School in Obour City on Monday to monitor the integration of Japanese language instruction and interactive educational activities.

The visit comes as Japanese is being officially introduced as a second language for first preparatory (seventh grade) students in 10 Egyptian-Japanese Schools nationwide. The programme currently enrolls around 400 students.

During the tour, the minister and the delegation observed a Japanese language class, reviewed teaching methods that utilise songs and pictures for simplified learning, and watched interactive sessions designed to develop students’ dialogue, leadership, and creative skills.

Abdel Latif highlighted that introducing Japanese as a second language is a significant milestone in the educational cooperation between the two countries, which began in 2016 following a shared vision between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

“The Egyptian-Japanese educational partnership has proven that education is not limited to the knowledge and information children acquire, but extends to building their personalities and shaping their awareness,” Abdel Latif said during a speech at the school. He added that the model prioritises responsibility, cooperation, discipline, respect, and character development to prepare youth for academic excellence and community service.

The minister noted that learning Japanese could open future opportunities for students in science, technology, business, and international cooperation, while fostering cultural understanding.

The Japanese delegation included Yu Ebisawa, Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Egypt; Yasuhiro Tsukamoto, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Japanese Embassy in Cairo; Shinya Kurosawa, President of the Japan Foundation; and Ayumi Hashimoto, Director of the Japan Foundation in Cairo. Nevine Hammouda, the minister’s advisor for strategic relations and general supervisor of the Egyptian-Japanese Schools, also attended.

Kurosawa expressed his pride in the initiative, noting it is the largest implementation of Japanese language education at this academic level in the Middle East and North Africa. He stated that the Japan Foundation provided the designated textbook, “TANOSHI NI HONGO,” and supported teacher training programmes.

“Teaching the Japanese language is not limited to providing students with language skills, but also gives them the opportunity to learn about different cultures, values, and ways of thinking,” Kurosawa said.

Tsukamoto commended the enthusiasm of teachers and students during the language classes and expressed hope that the programme would deepen students’ understanding of Japanese culture, enabling them to become bridges of communication between the two nations.

In addition to language instruction, the delegation observed an open learning session titled “How do we make a memory book?”, where a student led a discussion with peers in a practical application of leadership and teamwork. In another class, fifth-grade students explored ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs alongside Japanese “Kanji” symbols through group work. The tour concluded in the schoolyard, where kindergarten students sang traditional Japanese songs.