Application deadline extended for Vincentians interested in teaching in Japan

Register here to attend the March 30 Paint and Sip event at the Botanical Gardens in Kingstown.

Photos from the Embassy of Japan in Trinidad and Tobago.

By Admin. Updated 5:45 p.m., Wednesday, March 13, 2024, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

The application deadline has been extended for Vincentians interested in teaching in Japan under an exchange programme.

The programme is called the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme.

In a press release issued today (March 13), St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade said:

“The Government of Japan in joint collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is pleased to announce an extension of the application deadline to March 25th 2024 for the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme”.

The previous application deadline was March 15, 2024.

“The Ministry encourages enthusiastic individuals who are eager to embark on a transformative journey of cultural exchange and education in Japan to take advantage of this extended opportunity to apply for the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme,” the ministry said.

“This extension reflects the Ministry’s and the Government of Japan commitment to ensuring that aspiring educators have ample time to submit their applications and join us in fostering global understanding through education,” the press release said.

In the press release, the ministry also provided key details of the exchange and teaching programme.

According to the ministry, interested applicants should have a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in English Language and/or Education and TESOL (Teaching English as a Second Language) certification/training which is desirable but not compulsory.

A Japanese Language skill is highly desirable but not compulsory, the ministry said.

Interested applicants should have a valid driver’s license and be in good health, according to the ministry.

The ministry said teaching experience would be a valuable asset.

To apply interested persons should visit https://www.tt.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/jet_program.html

About the JET Programme established in 1987:

“The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme is aimed at promoting grass-roots international exchange between Japan and other nations,” the JET website says.

The JET website says: “The majority of JET participants are Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) from English speaking countries. There are also many ALTs from non-English speaking countries, and Coordinators for International Relations (CIRs) and Sports Exchange Advisors (SEAs) from both English speaking and non-English speaking countries”.

“The JET Programme is proud to welcome participants from 50 countries for the 2023-2024 year,” the website says.

In 2023, Roxcell John, a Vincentian who participated in the programme shared her experience on Facebook.

The piece was published by the Embassy of Japan in Trinidad and Tobago, as follows:

As I sit to write this piece, I think about the weekend before spent studying Japanese, reading a book and watching shows in my apartment; and then I think about the plans I have to go ice-skating this weekend. This shows the extremes of my time spent outside of work, from being alone and trying to learn a language listed as the 4th most difficult to learn for English speakers, to going on adventures with friends I’ve made in the short time of being here.

For a girl who has only ever done regional travel, landing in Japan was a surreal experience. After staying 2 days in a Tokyo hotel for orientation and then flying to the Yamaguchi prefecture to meet the staff of the Shimonoseki Board of Education, I was driven to the 9 schools (typically the number of schools range from 1-4) to be introduced to the school principals. The next day I was shown how to take the train and the bus and encouraged to input my schools’ locations on google maps. Admittedly for the first month I was overwhelmed with the number of schools, teachers and students and the different methods of teaching. Now, I must say that I love it. I am never bored, as each day I get to go to a different school (sometimes I revisit 1 or 2 schools in the same week) and experience something different. In my down time, I study Japanese so that my time here can be lived more comfortably in the future.

The main goal of the JET Programme is cultural exchange and of course this has been my main focus. My self-introduction is my favorite class as I am able to share about my country of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to the students and to the teachers. Through bingo and powerpoint slides, the students are introduced to who I am and then this culminates in the music video by Skinny Fabulous “This Island is Mine.” In my opinion, it best showcases our culture, our people and our landscapes. Learning through experience, I have opted to take traditional school lunches and have done a bit of travelling. Even with the language-barrier frustrations, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in Japan.

To anyone planning on coming on the Programme this year, my advice is to study as much Japanese as you can using applications such as WaniKani and Anki and immersion through Japanese media. All the best to you. Finally, thank you to all those who continue to encourage me in my journey and to the Programme for offering me this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.