## Efforts in Basic Education

Japan supports efforts for the achievement of EFA in developing countries. Based on the Basic Education for Growth Initiative (BEGIN) announced in 2002, Japan proactively provides support both for “hard” assistance such as building schools with “soft” assistance like teacher training with the emphasis on the three points of ensuring opportunities for education, raising its quality, and improving management as priorities. In addition, Japan has offered more than ¥250 billion worth of assistance in the educational arena including foreign student support and vocational training for low-income countries that have difficulties in achieving the EFA-Dakar Framework for Action. In FY2007, grant aid was provided to Mali for the construction of classrooms and lavatories in order to change bad studying conditions that had caused low school attendance ratios. $ ^{17} $ In Bangladesh, Japan developed guidance materials for teachers in science and mathematics, and held training sessions with the materials for elementary school teachers. The guidance materials proved to be effective, and have been distributed to elementary schools across the nation.

In addition to this, Japan has extended both bilateral and multilateral assistance in the Fast Track Initiative (FTI), $ ^{18} $ a global partnership to achieve international education goals such as “achieving universal primary education by 2015.” Japan has also made contributions to FTI-related trust funds, totaling US2.4 million in FY2007. Furthermore, Japan, as a G8 chair, has been working as an FTI co-chair, and has been deeply involved in the FTI since January 2008. In April this year, it hosted the working level and other related FTI conferences for one week in Tokyo.

## Education towards Independence and Development

Japan also provides support which contributes to developing the human resources that bolster developing countries' economies and enhancing the social infrastructure through technical and higher education. For example, it implements technical education suited to the local employment conditions and promotes effective partnerships with industry. It also provides support for vocational training combined with microfinance to promote the independence of women. Japan is also increasing the quantity and quality of its assistance to the higher education sector, and in recent years it has been promoting human resource development in developing countries through various measures such as transnational networking of institutes of higher education, joint research projects among neighboring countries and opportunities to study abroad.

## Assistance for Science, Mathematics and Engineering Education

Science and mathematics education is indispensable for developing countries to achieve both progress in science and technology and to enhance economic and social development. Such education also plays a role to cultivate creative and rich humanity, fostering humankind's spirit of inquiry, logical thinking, and capacity for innovation and invention. Along with modernizing its education since the Meiji Era, Japan developed the human resources which support its current economic development by expanding education in science, mathematics and engineering. Based on this experience, Japan actively supports the improvement of the quality of the science, mathematics, and engineering education in developing countries. Japan's support for science, mathematics, and engineering education expands to broad-based cooperation in various regions. Some examples are the Strengthening of Mathematics and Science in Secondary Education Project in Western, Eastern, Central and Southern Africa (SMASSE-WECSA $ ^{19} $ ) and the ¡Me Gusta Matemática! Project $ ^{20} $ in Latin American and Caribbean countries.

An in-service teacher giving instruction in mathematics and science as a Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer (Malawi) (Source: Yoshiki Kaki)