23 Jamaicans ‘JET’ off to Japan for one-year exchange programme
Published:Wednesday | November 17, 2021 | 12:05 AMAsha Wilks/Gleaner Writer
Japanese Ambassador Masaya Fujiwara bade adieu to assistant language teachers accepted in this year’s Japan Exchange Teaching (JET) Programme on a festive Thursday evening at his residence. Wine glasses ascended in a toast of the moment, accompanied by the introductory serving of Japanese food, which participants will soon become more accustomed to as they devote one year of their lives to the people of Japan.
On November 26, the 23 participants will leave the island with sights set on leaving a mark on the people of ‘The Land of the Rising Sun’, as they carry along their Jamaican culture.
This was encouraged by Ambassador Janice Miller, officer in charge of the Office of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade. “I urge you to model the strong work ethic and integrity demonstrated by your predecessors,” she said.
Miller also expressed gratitude for this exchange of cultural and language skills opportunity, which has finally arrived for Jamaicans to be able to travel to Japan since the pandemic outbreak in Jamaica some 20 months ago.
“While none of us could have anticipated this significant delay, you have been presented with [this] unique advantage,” she said.
Fujiwara also praised the Jamaican people’s strong work ethic, which has contributed to the programme’s success. While congratulating the attendees, he assured them that they too will contribute significantly to Japan’s educational system.
Jamaica and Japan have shared a long-standing history of diplomatic relations which was established in 1964. Since then, the two countries have come to enjoy great friendship, partnership, and economic connection.
“We recognise the importance of people-to-people exchange,” said Fujiwara of the JET Programme which began in 2000.
“It is very significant that in both countries we agree to enhance more. This kind of [exchange] shows the importance of the JET Programme,” he added.
The exchange has become the driving force behind the JET Programme’s 21-year history of serving over 400 Jamaicans and providing many with career opportunities.
He assured the participants that the people of Japan will be well receiving, and expressed that he is happy to welcome them into “this kind of friends of Japan group”.
Fujiwara anticipates that the programme will only strengthen in the years to come, as it is highly appreciated by the Japanese people in their school system.
Shafaye Wray, a participant who will soon venture into a new environment, told The Gleaner that she is very excited for the experience to come. This is especially so because of her love for experiencing new cultures. “It will be a great experience for me to learn about Japan, Japanese life and enjoy Japanese food,” she said.
Her enthusiasm, on the other hand, hasn’t totally dispelled her anxieties, as leaving behind family and friends will be challenging for her to bear.
As the sole male member of the group, Alex*, who requested a pseudonym, expressed his dissatisfaction with the circumstance of only seeing female faces.
“I would say that generally across the country in our education system ... it’s common ... and it’s sad,” he exclaimed, in reference to the absence of other males.
He added that more needs to be done to get the talents of young men invested in other meaningful areas of society, granting them opportunities such as this to improve themselves, as “if our men are not supported and encouraged, then that’s gonna be a bigger problem in this country”.
Fujiwara revealed during a casual conversation that there were no male participants last year. He said that in terms of education, females seem to be the dominant group in Jamaica, with more females obtaining high-quality education and higher grades than males.
Alex urged Fujiwara to make structural changes to the programme to cater to young men, even if their academic success is not as impressive as that of the women in the group, in order to eliminate a gender imbalance.
He told The Gleaner, however, that he is very excited for the opportunity, especially in a time “where a lot of people are struggling, and where some people are not alive because of the pandemic that we are facing now”.
As a result, he is appreciative for an experience like this in a challenging time like now, where he will be able to better represent himself and his country.
He believes the programme will be beneficial to him as, he said, “it will be an opportunity to be in a space where I’ll be a little more comfortable; where I’ll feel, unfortunately, a little safer; where I’ll be able to accomplish my financial goals at a faster pace than I would be able to in Jamaica”.
Alex, who is also a writer, said he intends to produce more written works during this time in order to establish and retain strong relationships in the area.
By strengthening relationships between Japan and other countries, the JET Programme strives to improve foreign language education in Japan and increase international exchange at the local level.