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Japanese International Cooperation Agency visit Eastern Cape
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Speeches and Media Releases
 Education

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MEDIA RELEASE
 FOR IMMEDIATE USE
 DATE : 18 JULY 2000

JAPANESE INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGENCY VISIT EASTERN CAPE

Today (Tuesday 18 July 2000) the New Vice-President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Mr Yushu Takashima, accompanied 
by the resident representative in South Africa, Mr Yoshiyuki Takahashi, visited the Department of Education of the Province of the Eastern 
Cape.

Accompanied by Education MEC Stone Sizani, the visitors met with Premier Makenkhesi Stofile to discuss their project involvement in the 
Eastern Cape and identify further areas of cooperation.

Premier Stofile emphasized that there was an excellent government to government cooperation between South Africa and Japan and that 
projects in the Eastern Cape operated under this umbrella relationship. President Thabo Mbekis appeal for Japanese financial aid had borne 
fruit.

The education backlogs in the Eastern Cape, particularly in the areas of old Transkei, needed urgent addressing and he expressed his 
gratitude for the intervention of JICA.

JICA has already invested R60 million in a schools building programme involving 43 schools over two years. Phase one, 22 schools, is 
complete and phase two is currently in progress.

Mr Takashima pointed out that the relationship would continue, and that his government also wanted to provide software for education, 
referring to assistance in the areas such as human resource development and training of trainers.

A JICA volunteers project is already underway in Mpumalanga in the training of maths and science teachers. The possibility of this type of 
project for the Eastern Cape was emphasized as critical in the light of the shortage of maths and science teachers. JICAs volunteer 
project could act as a prototype for a similar project funded by other donors.

Mr Takashima mentioned that his government was also involved in other projects, apart from education, in South Africa, namely health; water 
provision and business development.

MEC Stone Sizani also expressed his gratitude for the involvement of JICA. He however emphasized that the backlog of 21,000 classrooms 
identified in 1996 had by no means been eradicated.A further need was that of management training and two Eastern Cape staff members are 
already undergoing training in Japan.

After the meeting, the Japanese delegation visited project schools in the Umtata area.

(Radio station wishing to access the actuality / recorded messages of the Premier and Mr. Takashima are welcome to phone 082-4147768 for 
the feed by telephone)

Issued: Communications Divisions  Office of the Premier and the Department of Education
 Inquiries:Manelisi Wolela 082-4147768 / Angela Church 082-3712948

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