ABU DHABI: Through the coordination of the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE), Japanese moral education experts recently visited the UAE earlier this year as part of a field survey to examine how UAE schools are integrating moral education into the existing curriculum. The survey is part of an ongoing collaboration between the UAE and Japanese governments to promote tolerance and instil universal principles and values shared by humanity; in line with the UAE’s broadened vision of building a sustainable society, grounded in the happiness, wellness and social well-being of its people. Overall, the UAE scored extremely high according to the experts, with special praise attributed to the effective and efficient integration of moral education at UAE schools.

Dr. Atsushi Tsukui, Senior Researcher at International Development Center of Japan Incorporated, and visiting surveyor, was particularly impressed at the level of curriculum training at the Ajman Teacher Training Institute. Tsukui commented, “It is amazing to see how quick the UAE organized the training system in such a short period of time. I was equally impressed with the online platform where teachers and faculty members of the Institute share their own experiences and feedback discussing how they implemented the Moral Education curriculum within their classes.”

The field survey follows a delegation visit by the UAE’s Ministry of Education to Japan last year, when they visited schools to observe Moral Education lessons and met with numerous experts in Moral Education, as well as the heads of a number of leading Japanese institutions specialized in the field.

The collaboration between the two governments is part of a broader “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Initiative”, which was jointly announced by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in April 2018, where Moral Education was highlighted within the framework under collaboration within the field of education.

Fellow surveyor, Dr. Yusuke Nakajima, Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Education of Osaka Ohtani University, commented, “I believe there are more areas where the UAE and Japan can further deepen the collaboration to include ‘Lesson Study’, which is a teaching improvement process that has its origins within Japanese elementary education.”

Shigeto Aoki, General Manager of JICE Abu Dhabi Office, said: “Japan and the UAE both share high moral codes, and we hope that both countries can improve the quality of education together through such exchange programs.”