Zim, Japan deepen education ties

Trust Freddy 

Herald Correspondent 

Zimbabwe and Japan continue to deepen bilateral relations, particularly in the field of education, where the present higher education partnership agreement has resulted in the deployment of at least 550 Japanese experts in technical fields. 

Through the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCVs) programme, Japan has deployed experts to Mutare Teachers College, Mutare Polytechnic, Bindura University of Science Education, Mkoba Teachers College and Bulawayo Polytechnic, among others.

The programme, which is being spearheaded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is aimed at providing technical assistance in social and economic development.

This year marks 33 years of the JOCV programme in Zimbabwe and over 550 JOCVs have been dispatched since the signing of the exchange of notes in 1988 by the Governments of Zimbabwe and Japan. The programme has seen the deployment of Japanese experts in various fields which include academics, agriculture, information communication technology, vocational training and sports. 

While leading a media tour of the several institutions where the volunteers are stationed yesterday, the human capital planning and skills development officer in the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education Mr Arnold Makonese said: “We are elated with the kind of cooperation between Zimbabwe and Japan in terms of exchange programme that we have between our tertiary institutions. 

“We have volunteer personal from Japan who are serving in our tertiary institutions and from what they have been demonstrating, there is much of skills, knowledge and cultural transfer which is going on and as Government we are highly elated to keep this kind of relationship ongoing.” 

JICA country representative Mr Shigeki Furuta said the programme goes beyond sharing of skills. 

“There are transferring their skills to the people, but not only that they find out about Zimbabwean culture and they take it to Japan. We are trying to expand the number of volunteers here. Currently, we have nine volunteers because of Covid-19, but we are expecting that the number will triple in the future,” he said.

Commenting on the performance one of the volunteers, the Acting Principal for Bulawayo Polytechnic Mrs Chiedza Masanganise said: “He has brought in a lot of innovations and a lot of improvements in terms of training in hospitality and we are gaining a lot from JICA’s participation in training and development. “

It was also evident from their interactions with JICA representatives that the institution could benefit greatly.

“There is an element of skills gap which is being fulfilled with getting volunteers from JICA, we are hoping that if possible we expand that relationship to other disciplines, it will help a lot in terms of training and it also compliment what the Ministry plans to do which is in line with education 5.0 where they are bringing a lot of innovations and modernisation towards the Ministry’s purpose and mandate,” said Mrs Masanganise. 

Some of the volunteers described Zimbabwe as a peaceful and friendly nation. Ms Risa Tomita, a software engineer at Mkoba Teachers’ College, said she was surprised by the kind of hospitality she received. 

“It was my first time to come to Africa. At first I was so nervous, but Zimbabweans are very friendly and also other Shona words are similar to Japanese words,” she said. 

Ms Tomita, who has been at Mkoba for the past two years is now fluent in Shona and she is also conducting Japanese lessons during her spare time.

Mr Daiki Shigeyani, who is assisting the Tourism and Hospitality department at Bulawayo Polytechnic said: “I was very inspired by the student’s determination and courage. Unlike Japanese students, Zimbabwean students are not shy.”

Another volunteer, Ms Ikuko Seki, who is teaching Physical Education at Mkoba Teachers’ College, has since introduced aerobics at the institution.

On extracurricular activities, other volunteers are helping Zimbabweans to promote judo, a well known unarmed Japanese martial art, whilst others are promoting baseball, an exceptionally popular sport in Japan.