### 2. New Education Policy

Education is a human right. Japan has emphasized cooperation in the education sector as an essential part for promoting human security. Following the Basic Education for Growth Initiative (BEGIN) that was announced in 2002, Prime Minister Kan presented the “Japan’s Education Cooperation Policy 2011-2015” at the September 2010 UN Summit on the MDGs, and announced that Japan would provide 3.5 billion of aid over a period of 5 years beginning in 2011, for the purpose of contributing to achievement of the MDGs and Education for All (EFA) $ ^{*} $ .

At a teacher training school, Ghanaian students work on a science experiment led by science and mathematics teachers of Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (Photo: Teppei Aoki)

The three pillars of this new policy are (i) aid for basic

education, (ii) aid for post-basic education (secondary education following the completion of primary education, vocational training and education and higher education), and (iii) education aid for vulnerable countries that have been affected by conflict or disasters. To implement “School for All,” a basic education aid model that is designed for comprehensive improvement of the learning environment by schools, communities, and educational administration, Japan provides support for (i) quality education (teacher training in science and mathematics in Africa, etc.), (ii) provision of a safe learning environment (improvement of nutrition and hygiene, etc.), (iii) school based management (School management improvement through community participation projects in Niger, etc.),

## $ ^{*} $ Education for All (EFA)

Education for All (EFA) is an international movement that aims to ensure that everyone in the world has the opportunity to receive at least a basic education. The five main organizations involved with EFA are the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), with UNESCO serving as the overall coordinator. EFA encompasses a number of initiatives, such as the Education for All – Fast Track Initiative (EFA-FTI).

## $ ^{*} $ EFA Fast-track Initiative

A framework for international aid established under the leadership of the World Bank in 2002, in order to achieve the universal primary education by 2015 that is included in the MDGs and the EFA Dakar Framework for Action. In November, 2011, the name of FTI was changed to "Global Partnership for Education."

(iv) openness to the community (adult literacy education, etc.), and (v) inclusive education (assistance for children with difficulty to attend school due to extreme poverty, disabilities, etc.), and also enhances support for the EFA Fast-track Initiative (EFA-FTI) international framework for the spread of primary education.

In efforts related to post-basic education, Japan encourages the strengthening of vocational training schools, building of a higher education network (higher-education projects in the Asia and Africa regions, such as AUN/SEED-Net and E-Just) $ ^{5} $ , and receiving and exchange of international students, and cooperates with international organizations to provide assistance in vulnerable countries (construction of schools in Afghanistan through UNICEF, etc.). (See page 57 for details regarding Education.)

The “Support to the Improvement of School Management through Community Participation (School for All) Project” Members of the community in Niger repair a school on their own (Photo: Hiroyuki Uemura)