Cambodia-Japan Cooperation Center
SAKUMA Shiro

The Cambodia-Japan Cooperation Center (hereinafter the “CJCC”) is an independently-managed organization beneath the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. The activities of the CJCC comprise three pillars – “Business Training,” “Japanese Language for Career Development,” and “a Culture and Education Exchange Program.” The Japan Foundation began supporting Japanese-language-related activities at the CJCC from 2004, and has been supporting the running of the CJCC’s Japanese-language course since 2014.

However, The Japan Foundation is not only called on to run the course. It must also consider how to invigorate and enhance Japanese-language education as a whole in Cambodia. Here, I would like to introduce the seminar and teacher training programs that we are undertaking to the best of our limited ability.

Japanese-Language Education Seminar

Once every year, we hold a Japanese-language education seminar at the CJCC. We invite teachers from overseas to present lectures on a variety of topics relating to Japanese-language education.

Japanese-language education seminar

In fiscal 2020, we held a seminar entitled “Japanese-language for nursing.” The seminar naturally featured a presentation by the teacher serving as the lecturer, but we also asked individuals from related institutions in Cambodia that provide Japanese-language education for nursing to take the stage, and had them share their various expertise. The seminar ran all-day long, but it served as an opportunity to learn about the latest trends, education methods and so on, and turned out to be a highly meaningful event that also deepened exchange between the regional participants.

We Japanese-Language Specialists (hereinafter “Specialists”) took a completely back-seat role at the seminar, but we spent several months running around making various adjustments and arrangements prior to the event. On the day itself, we focused our efforts on fine-tuning the overall atmosphere and encouraging exchanges with participants, and we were so exhausted afterwards that we ended up retreating to bed.

Japanese-Language Teacher Training Programs

Around three times a year, we hold training programs for individuals involved with Japanese-language education in Cambodia. The training programs are held under the guidance of Specialists, and one of the things we tried in fiscal 2020 was to ask Japanese-language teachers from other educational institutions to present the lectures, with we Specialists working exclusively as facilitators.

That is because we concluded that if the same Specialists always give the lectures, as you would expect they end up following a similar pattern, and it thus becomes difficult to respond to the broad and varied needs of Japanese-language education.

As a result, we had a number of individuals take the stage, which I believe that made it possible to add breadth to the topics and to hold training programs that were educational.

Another challenge we took on in fiscal 2020 was delivering training programs online. Even if good training programs are held, some individuals who want to take part are unable to, for reasons such as difficulties getting to Phnom Penh or having to look after their children. We streamed the training programs online in order to attract the participation of as many people as possible.

This was quite a difficult undertaking, but thanks to the efforts of the CJCC staff, we were successfully able to deliver two training programs online. The individuals who participated expressed their gratitude, and we intend to keep this endeavor going from here on also.

Japanese-language teacher training program

Here I have reported on the “Japanese-language education seminar” and “Japanese-language teacher training programs” held at the CJCC. In the past, I think Specialists were largely associated with the role of “teaching knowledge.” Now, however, at a time when it has become possible to obtain a range of expertise easily, I think what is required of Specialists is the ability to coordinate things as a whole.

The important thing is not to make oneself the center, but rather, how to strive with everyone to enhance the overall situation. Cambodia is blessed with a large number of highly-capable teachers. From here on also, I want to strive to hold events that make good use of those around me and invigorate Japanese-language education overall.