Gakko Tosho Co, Ltd and IC Net Limited

The Government of Papua New Guinea develops the National textbooks and teacher’s guide for the National textbooks in accordance with 2014 national curriculum in cooperation with JICA, to provide all students with quality education as its educational goal. As 2018 EDU-Port Supported Project, Gakko Tosho Co, Ltd and IC Net Limited digitalized a part of the teacher’s guide. Video clips for science and mathematics education and model lesson plans were developed and revised based on feedback of local elementary school teachers and teacher’s training college students. After 2018 EDU-Port Supported Project terminated, the Ministry of Education started development of specialized application for digital teacher’s guide and capacity development of ICT officers to update the contents. It is planned to be completed by October 2020.
Outbreak of COVID-19 has a serious impact on students’ learning in Papua New Guinea. State of emergency was announced in April 2020 and schools and teacher’s training colleges were closed. To ensure all students continue learning, the Ministry of Education promotes self-learning during “STAY HOME” period. The ministry started developing mobile phone applications that allows students to attend lessons and providing TV programs on science and mathematics produced by an earlier JICA project through the application. We also expect that the digital teacher’s guide by EDU-Port　Supported Project will be widely utilized.
Video Research Ltd. and Tokyo Online University launched “Smile Tablet Project” to support ICT education in the world. Video Research Ltd. is a company specializing in TV audience rating research and replaces tablets using research with new ones every several years. “Smile Tablet Project” donates those old tablets to developing countries and promotes digital education in cooperation with Tokyo Online University. As we introduced Tokyo Online University that the Ministry of Education in Papua New Guinea continues digitalization of teacher’s guidebooks, they agreed to donate 4,000 tablets to Papua New Guinea. The Government appreciates the support and agreed to bear the transportation cost of the tablets.
Collaboration among JICA project, EDU-Port Supported Project by Gakko Tosho Co, Ltd and IC Net Limited, and “Smile Tablet Project” by Video Research Ltd. And Tokyo Online University contribute continuous learning of students in Papua New Guinea.