JICA Trainee Acceptance Program: Strengthening of Teacher Education on Special Education in Afghanistan
The Osaka Kyoiku University Course for Special Needs Education Teachers and the OKU International Center jointly held a four-week instructional program over May 27–June 20 for the Strengthening of Teacher Education on Special Education in Afghanistan. The project is an AY2013 area-specific training course for the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Trainee Acceptance Program.
The JICA Program represents part of OKU's efforts to contribute to the international community.
Fourteen people involved in special needs education came from Afghanistan to participate in the event. Training during the first half of the program focused mainly on classroom visits, facility inspection tours, and practical work at the National Institute of Special Needs Education and relevant institutions including five special needs schools attached to Tsukuba University. The program's second half included attending lectures on special needs education at OKU's Kashiwara Campus and a summary review of what was achieved during training presented at JICA's Kansai International Center.
At the end of the program, the trainees put their accomplishments to work toward developing teaching materials suited to special needs education and used the materials to conduct model classes.
In closing, a representative of the trainees summed up the group's impression of their training and their enthusiasm for the future of special needs education in Afghanistan as they expressed their gratitude to OKU and JICA.