On November 6, 2010, the 2 nd National Conference for the Monbukagakusho (Japanese Government Scholars) Teachers Training Program entitled “Issues in Philippine Education: Keeping up with International Standards” co-organized by PHILAJAMES (Philippine Association of Japanese Government Scholars) and the Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC) was held at the multi-purpose hall of the Embassy of Japan in Manila.
Various topics on education including the proposed basic education reform to extend the educational cycle of basic education from ten years to twelve years and its socio-economic implications, curriculum and instructional materials development and the challenges and trends of technology education were explained in detail and by the speakers. Six guest speakers from the education and government sector which include Dr. Isagani Cruz, Professor Emeritus (De La Salle University), Dr. Tereso Tullao, Director of the Angelo King Research Institute (De La Salle University) and four former Japanese Government Scholars, Dr. Lolita Andrada, Director IV, Bureau of Secondary Education (Department of Education and Culture), Dr. Soccorro Pilor, Director, Instructional Materials (Department of Education and Culture), Dr. Amelia Fajardo, Associate Professor, UP College of Education (University of the Philippines), and Dr. Enrico Hilario, Dean, College of Industrial Technology (Technological University of the Philippines) were invited to share their insights on the current issues of the Philippine educational system. The lectures were followed by a heated question and answer session attended by professors and teachers of various educational institutions from various regions not only in NCR area but also from the cities outside NCR such as Legaspi, Ilo-ilo and Dumaguete.
Dr. Maria Luisa Enriquez, Director of Center for Natural Science and Ecological Reserach (De La Salle University), gave the opening remarks as the President of PHILAJAMES and expressed her appreciation to JICC for supporting various PHILAJAMES events and the Japanese Government for giving the Filipinos a chance to study in Japan under the Japanese Government Scholarship through the years. JICC Director Tomoko Dodo expressed her appreciation for the active role of PHILAJAMES in fostering friendship between Japan and the Philippines and for the very informative and interesting presentations made by all the speakers who hold prominent positions and are playing important roles in education in the Philippines.
The conference was also the reunion of former teacher trainees of the Japanese Government Scholarship. Since 1954, the Government of Japan has provided scholarships to aspiring Filipino students who wish to study in Japan through the Japanese Government Scholarship. Through the activities of former government scholars and the Japanese Government Scholarship, we wish to enhance mutual understanding between our two countries as well as the development of the Philippines.
