The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme welcomed 65 Filipino JETs – 64 Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs); and one (1) Coordinator for International Relations (CIR) – to participate in its annual programme for the year 2023. The number of JET participants has been increasing since it started inviting Filipino applicants in 2014, and the current batch overcame pre-pandemic numbers at 65 (previous 54 in 2019) and has cumulatively over 300 Filipino participants. The first batch of selected Filipino JETs flew to Japan on 30 July 2023, while the second batch is scheduled to fly this August 2023. Prior to this, the participants engaged in a series of activities aimed at preparing them for their duties in Japan.
On July 6, the participants visited the Manila Japanese School (MJS) in Taguig City. They had the opportunity to observe English classes and met with Filipino English teachers. Both sides had a fruitful exchange of views on teaching techniques and Japanese classroom practices.
In addition, the Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC) in cooperation with the JET Alumni Association of the Philippines (JETAA-PHL) held a virtual pre-departure orientation for the participants on 21 July 2023. Aimed at preparing the incoming JETs for life in Japan, the participants received essential resource materials and learned more about Japanese society and culture in relation to their role as ALTs and CIR. Likewise, the Pre-Departure Orientation coincided with a Nihongo Learning Session to equip the incoming JETs with essential Japanese Language.
The series of activities culminated on July 29, 2023, as His Excellency Japanese Ambassador KOSHIKAWA Kazuhiko, along with J CLAIR Singapore represented by Executive Director Mr Taisuke Sakurai, hosted a send-off reception for the participants at his residence. In his message, Amb. Koshikawa congratulated the participants and shared his hopes for the program’s growth. “As one of the Japanese officials who launched the JET Programme more than 30 years ago, it is heartwarming to see its growth and impact here in the Philippines,” he states. He also add that Filipino JETs are reliable cultural ambassadors that bridge Japan to their home nations, “paving avenues for stronger linkages between Japan and the Philippines.”
The JET Programme was launched by the Government of Japan in 1987 in the hope of deepening mutual understanding between the people of Japan and those of other countries through foreign language exchange and cultural immersion. Since its inception, around 5,761 participants from 57 countries (as of 2019) have already been admitted to the programme. In the next few years, the programme hopes to bring in even more participants from across the globe, including the Philippines, to Japan. To learn more about the JET programme, please visit its official website at http://www.jetprogramme.org/