Education Development: JICA's Support In Education Reform

JICA has been supporting the development of new textbooks in all subjects for Grade 1 to 5 at the primary level as part of the education reform being carried out by the Government of Myanmar since 2014.

The tasks have been carried out through the Project for Curriculum Reform at Primary Level of Basic Education (CREATE). The new textbooks are designed for each student to learn to observe things with their own eyes, think, communicate and cooperate with each other in order to improve their own lives and society. The textbooks also aim to stimulate the spirit of curiosity and fun learning, while maintaining values that have been nurtured by Myanmar people, and respecting diversity.

Chief Representative, Japan International Cooperation Agency Myanmar Office, Masayuki KARASAWA said “We very satisfied with our counterpart under the Ministry of Education and we believe we can complete year 2021 for the whole Grade 1 to 5 for the primary education. The new road for the curriculum and textbook, we expect to create such system institutional near future. We expect to discuss for the future such area support once we complete the whole Grade 1 to 5 new curriculum and textbook.”

In the new primary curriculum, teachers are facilitators of learning for students shifting from providers of the knowledge to memorize. Students will research, create their own ideas and express their opinions. Teachers encourage students to communicate and collaborate with others. Student will learn important skills and abilities like creativity, problem solving, leadership and teamwork.

Under the CREATE project, about 40 Japanese education experts in Japan and overseas provide technical support in various areas in order to establish the education system for the next generation.

Textbook Development Advisor, CREATE Project,  Chiko Yamaoka said “We are focusing more on 4 curriculum subjects something like music, art, physical education. Something likes to be learned more not only just in knowledge but also enhance their feeling. They start into learning more, they are motivating more and they are more interested in studying. They like studying and they like school now.”

Currently, the curriculum reform process has been done up to Grade 3 and the positive results also came out for the country’s education.

Headmistress, Basic Education Middle School No (1) Dagon, Dr. Ohmar Htwe said “Parents seem to pay more interests in new curriculum. We also explained to the parents about the school system and new curriculum that we are teaching to the children at the meeting from the start of this academic year. We found out that our children are learning new curriculum happily and actively because they have to practice with teaching aid for some subjects.”

JICA is supporting the Ministry of Education to support the nation-building endeavours through improvement in quality of education.