On September 29, 2014, Ochanomizu University’s Global Collaboration Center (Child Education Collaboration Division) and Research Center for Human Development and Education led the launch of Region-Specific Training for Early Childhood Education in Central and West Africa, on behalf of JICA.

Sub-Saharan Africa has exceedingly high rates of mortality, malnutrition and disease among children under the age of five-all problems that need to be dealt with urgently. In recent years, the international community has recognized the importance of a comprehensive approach linking security with education beginning at infancy, and is enhancing support structures for early childhood education in developing countries. In Sub-Saharan Africa, however, governments have unfortunately neither indicated a strong commitment to early childhood development nor developed policies for it, and there is a dearth of human resources specializing in that field.

We at Ochanomizu University have thus decided to draw on our knowledge and experience based on more than 130 years of tradition and a solid track record to create opportunities for training that will lay the groundwork for and promote the widespread acceptance of early childhood development in Sub-Saharan Africa, especially in Central and West Africa.

We have accepted 10 individuals, including administrative officials and faculty of teacher training schools for early childhood education from five countries: Senegal, Gabon, Cameroon, Niger and Burkina Faso.
The training began on September 29 with an opening ceremony and reception, and will continue for three weeks until October 24. We are looking forward to making the sessions an excellent opportunity for Ochanomizu students and faculty to exchange ideas with the trainees from Central and West Africa, and to deepen mutual understanding through discussions on early childhood education, education in general, and culture.