The compilation report for this programme will be divided into four parts:

1. From October 14th to October 20th 1998

2. From October 21st to November 5th 1998

3. From November 6th to November 7th 1998

4. From November 8th to November 10th 1998

Part One:

The Journeys The two Ugandan participants Ms. Nangalama Rebecca, a Science teacher at Our Lady Fatima Primary school (Kampala) and myself Mr.Labongo Badru a Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science teacher at Mt. St. Mary's College Namagunga, left Entebbe International Airport at about 1.30pm aboard a Kenya Airways plane destined for Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). We reached JKIA at about 2.30pm East African Standard Time. We were met by our relatives who had prior information about our visit to Kenya. We paid a visit to JICA (Kenya Office), the following day Monday 12th, Oct 1998 for the orientation programme with our Kenyan counterparts and to make arrangements for obtaining an entry visa to Japan.

A group of two Ugandan teachers and six Kenyan teachers later met at JKIA for the UK flight that took off at 23:59hrs and lasted about 81/2 hours to Heathrow Airport. The group travelled by a Hoppa Bus to Sheraton Skyline for a rest of about thirteen hours before returning to Heathrow Airport to leave for Nariita Airport. Ms. Nangalama Rebecca remained at Heathrow Airport at this time because she had a Direct Transit visa and that did not permit her to leave the Heathrow Airport.

We left Heathrow at about 22:30hrs aboard Japan Airlines . The journey lasted thirteen hours and we arrived at Nariita Airport at about 15:30hrs Japan time. At Nariita Airport the group was met by JICA who then took us to Crowne Metropolitan Hotel Tokyo.

In the next part of this report, I will discuss only the programmes and places I attended or visited since I belonged to the group of Natural Science Teachers and my colleague, Female Science Teachers and these groups had different programmes.

The Programme The opening ceremony was held on the October 15th, 1998 in which the President of JICA welcomed all the participants . In his speech, the President emphasized the need for co-operation among the countries to create a better world and prepare the world for even a greater global collaboration in the 21st Century. In Tokyo, the African teachers were divided into four groups:

The Natural Science Teachers from English speaking countries,

The Female Science Teachers ,, ,, ,, ,, ,

The Natural Science Teachers from French speaking countries and,

The Female Science Teachers ,, ,, ,, ,, .

To all the groups, while in Tokyo, lectures on Japanese Lifestyles, Japanese Education System and Japanese Economy were conducted by articulate Professors from Waseda University in Japan. Lectures on Japanese Language were conducted by a language Tutor Miss Shimoyama. Other activities in Tokyo included: a visit to Budokan University and Tour of Tokyo by Japanese Youth.

Part Two:

The Natural Science Teachers from English speaking African countries left Tokyo for Osaka on October 21st by Hikari Super Express train . On the 22nd/10/98 we visited Kansai Soka Elementary School. We were warmly welcomed by the pupils, teachers and administrators of the school. There was a splendidly organized brass band show for us. We visited classrooms and attended lessons . We sang a few songs for the pupils too. There was a Q & A session with the teachers of the school in which it was realized that: -Children joining the Elementary School had to take entry exams first and that the competition was stiff; -The School has an international outlook in the sense that students from foreign countries such as; Germany, Canada, USA, UK study in the school and fit in well; -Each class room has a maximum of about 38 pupils, which gives a very good teacher-student interaction environment; -The teachers are highly motivated and well remunerated; -The teachers are worried about exams too and the content to be covered is a lot and there is not much time to do this by the end of the 6th grade.( The Japanese Education system is 6-3-3-4). The entire school was there to see us off at about 13:30hrs Japan time. - Since the school had most of the facilities in place, to a question I put forward to the principal as to what are the future undertakings of the school; he replied, " Our target is to ensure that we are part of the global learning environment of the 21st century", which contrasts sharply with what our primary schools are aiming at. Later in the afternoon we paid a courtesy call to OFIX (Osaka Foundation of International Exchange). The visits to the places in Osaka by the Natural Science Teachers group was organized by OFIX. We were welcomed by the Managing Director Mr. Katsuyasu Kida and his Deputy Ms. Keiko Aikawa and the Coordinator of the Programme Mr. Matsumuro Junichiro.

On 23rd/10/98, we visited the Cosmo Square International Education and Training Center for in-house Seminar. There was an orientation programme upon arrival at the Center. A visit to the World Trade Center (WTC) Cosmo Tower (the tallest structure in Osaka) was also organized. In the Afternoon we practiced the Japanese Abacus and Calligraphy. Other activities of the in-house Seminar featured lecture on the Japanese Education System in Science and Mathematics and group discussions with Japanese teachers from Secondary Schools in Osaka.

On 27th/10/98 we visited Osaka Prefecture Government Educational Center where I had the privilege to move a vote of thanks to OFIX on behalf of the visiting African Science Teachers. The Educational Center is a highly organized resource centre for in-service training of Educators. It has modern laboratories and quite expensive machines that ordinary schools can not afford, especially in Africa. However, at this Center, emphasis is put on the development and construction of simple teaching materials that create motivation in classrooms and also to inculcate in the teachers a spirit of confidence in their r teaching methodology.

We visited Osaka Prefecture Senboku High School on the 28th October 1998. We were warmly welcomed by the teachers and the students. We visited classrooms and attended a Chemistry Lesson which was conducted by Mr. Yuichi Hirano. The lesson was good and packed with student activity. There was also a display of the use of technology (audio visual) equipment in the classroom such electronic camera and T.V sets. Team teaching was also displayed. This constituted of both Japanese and the visiting African Science Teachers. In the Q and A session , later, it was agreed that; Most students in the High school prefer arts to sciences. This was because of the way in which subjects such as Mathematics are taught, the need to study simple things and refrain from hard work and finally, the mental ability of the students. Entry into University in Japan is only possible after passing the entry exam set by the University. So teachers and students a like are very worried about examinations. Unlike in most African countries where we have examination Bodies, entering a University is a function of having excelled in the national exams set by the examining bodies. In Japan , the need to pass the University entry exams has led to the mushrooming of Cram Schools (Centres for preparing students to undertake the entry exams).

On the 29th/10/1998, we visited Tennoji Junior High School affiliated to Osaka Kyoiku University. We attended Spanish, French, Mathematics and Science classes. We had discussions with Japanese students in English language. There was a musical show staged by the visiting African Science Teachers in the superb Mainhall of the school. We received an applause from the students and the staff.

In the Q and A session, the discussion centred mainly on the teaching methods which in the case of Japan, is more practical and there is emphasis on the use of computers to teach say, Mathematics . The school had as many girls as boys. In the classrooms, the girls seemed more active than the boys and indeed by examining their books there was evidence that they understood the concepts taught.

After a welcome party with host families on the 31st/10/1998, we left for home stay. It was both a trying and exciting time to live with people of a different and unique culture. By the end of the home stay 2nd/Nov./1998, most of the participants were yearning for more time with the Japanese families. The general view about home stay was the Japanese are a polite and hospitable group of people.

On November 4th, we visited the Kaiyukan (Osaka Aquarium) where we saw a number of fish species including the two sharks Kai and Yu which are 5.5m and 7.5m respectively.

On November 5th, we visited Osaka Municipal Science Museum where we saw a number of scientific setups for students or adults. Some experiments on aerodynamics were conducted at the science museum by museum attendants . There was a lot of teaching and learning resource at the museum for teachers and students. Many Japanese students were visiting the museum at the time. A visit to the dome for astronomical studies takes you through sunset to sunrise in a one hour treat. Quite an exciting experience. Later in the afternoon, we visited Liberty Osaka, a museum for human rights in which a number of research on Human rights issues pertaining to Japan is on display. A film depicting human rights situation in Japan was also shown to us.

Part Three:

We used the Hikari Super express on November 6th to travel to Hiroshima. We took a ferry ride to visited Miyajima (the Sacred Island). We stayed at the Rihga Royal Hotel in Hiroshima for the night.

On the 7th/11/1998, we went to Hiroshima peace memorial museum. We watched a film on the after effects of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and we saw in the museum a collection of some of the things damaged by the bomb. We were so touched by the revelations of the bombing incident. We all accepted that it was absolutely necessary to resolve conflicts by peaceful means. There after, we took the Nozomi Super Express train travelling at 300 km/hr to do the 800 odd kilometres between Hiroshima and Tokyo.

Part Four:

On the 9th/11/1998, we had an evaluation session of the programme which climaxed with the official closing ceremony. We were awarded certificates of participation by JICA.

On 10th/11/1998, we bid farewell to our hosts and travelled to Nariita by bus, then aboard Japan Airlines plane to Heathrow, to Gatwick by bus and from there to Entebbe aboard British Airways.

We were received by Mr. M. Kasaaga from the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Affairs (who coordinated very well the travel arrangements to Japan) with his counterparts from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs together with our heads of institutions.

I would like to sincerely thank the organizers both in Uganda and outside countries (Kenya, England and Japan), who made this trip a success. We hope that we would be able to see the fruits of our visit to Japan and that more Ugandans would be given a chance to visit Japan.

Mr. Labongo A. Badru Mt. St. Mary's College Namagunga P.O.Box 18, Lugazi, Uganda.

Tel: 256-044-48280 , E-Mail: labongob@hotmail.co.ug OR labongo@msmn.ac.ug