In many educational settings in developing countries, including Samoa, unilateral teaching focusing on memorizing is the common teaching style.As a measure to improve the situation, Hokkaido University of Education has made an agreement with JICA Hokkaido in April 2014 and is implementing this project aiming at improving the quality of teachers through their acquisition of the “problem-solving type teaching method” which is widely used in Japan, in which teachers take a teaching approach that allows children to think about things by themselves. Under this project, three elementary schools were designated as pilot schools, the principals of these designated schools learn methods of teaching plan development for elementary science and mathematics and other related subjects, and the principals will return to their schools and implement the teaching.
About 10 experts (university teachers, elementary school principal retirees from our schools and affiliated elementary school teachers, etc.) are sent to the schools every year for a long or short term. Through this effort, we expect to achieve positive outcomes such as providing guidance and instructions for preparation of problem-solving-based learning instruction plans, for development of teaching materials utilizing ideas and materials that the locals are familiar with, for improving/partnering teacher block training, preparation of supplementary reading materials for mathematics and science teaching, etc.
In total, 330 people, including 30 teachers from the pilot schools and about 300 teachers from 30 elementary schools around the pilot schools, will benefit from the program. Hopefully, Japanese style teaching will gradually spread from the pilot schools to other areas in the country.
Cooperation duration
April 2014 – March 2017Implementing agencies
- Japan: Hokkaido University of Education/JICA Hokkaido
- Samoa: Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture (MESC)
