PMFORUM Breaking News

According to the World Bank on Thursday, 24 April, "Japan will build about 1,000 elementary schools in Africa over five years, Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura (pictured) said on Wednesday, 23 April. Komura announced the African assistance plan at an international forum on education held in Tokyo. To build the schools, Japan will offer some 30 billion yen under the official development assistance program, he said. ..." [Jiji Press (Japan)/Factiva]

AFP added that "...The schools will have enough classrooms for 400,000 children to go to school, Komura said, adding that Japan would also train 300,000 teachers around the world in the same period. ..." [Agence France Presse/Factiva]

Kyodo News noted that "...Citing the particular importance of instruction in mathematics and sciences during a speech in Tokyo, Komura said Japan plans to train about 100,000 teachers in Africa out of a total of 300,000 worldwide during the five-year period. ...

Komura spoke before an audience of education experts, representatives of international agencies and nongovernmental organizations, and African diplomats. More efforts should be made so that issues such as environmental protection, prevention of the AIDS epidemic and natural disasters as well as sustainable economic development take prominent place in Africa's school curricula, according to Komura.

Komura said that in order to turn these ideas into reality, the participation of experts, the private sector and nongovernmental organizations in and outside Africa will be imperative to complement the initiatives of Japan and African countries. The proposed assistance will be extended, possibly in cooperation with the World Bank and other institutions aimed at developing poorer economies, the minister said. ..." [Kyodo News (Japan)/Factiva]

Source: World Bank Press Review, 24 April, 2008