‘Konnichiwa’ becomes ‘G’day’ as Premier launches Queensland classroom in Tokyo

Queensland teachers and the Queensland school curriculum will drive a world-first program for Japanese students, as part of a program launched in Tokyo by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has launch a special Queensland classroom as part of the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education’s world-first English immersion facility, Tokyo Global Gateway.

More than 200,000 Japanese students from Year 5 to Year 12 are expected to visit the Tokyo Global Gateway facility each year as part of an English immersion learning program.

The Premier said Queensland’s role as the first international partner in the Tokyo Global gateway was a great endorsement of the skill and dedication of Queensland teachers and the quality of the Queensland curriculum.

“By engaging teachers from our wonderful state schools and creating a real classroom setting, this is as close as we can get Japanese students to the experience of a Queensland classroom, short of actually visiting Queensland,” the Premier said.

“Inquiry-based learning is a key feature of our Queensland classrooms – the Tokyo Global Gateway will give Japanese students the opportunity to experience it here in Tokyo.

“Lessons will also employ the use of STEM in the classroom and its employment in the real world, covering subjects such as coding, technology and design.

“Our aim is to help students who study at the Tokyo Global Gateway to think globally, explore the world, and share their own unique experiences and cultures with others.”

The classroom concept was developed to raise awareness of English among Japanese students ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

It is the result of a partnership between the Queensland Department of Education International, the Tokyo office of Trade and Investment Queensland and the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education which has already been through two successful trial phases.

The pilot “Tokyo Experience School” project was launched in June 2017, when 15 high-performing Year 10 students and two teachers from Queensland had the opportunity to experience school life in Tokyo.

In December 2017 Tokyo MBOE invited a further 20 students from Queensland to participate in a larger Tokyo study tour.

Those programs with both programs to be repeated in July and December 2018.

Queensland is a preferred education destination for Japanese students with over 30 per cent of Australia’s international student market.

The Premier Palaszczuk said the Tokyo Global Gateway’s Queensland classroom should inspire even more Japanese students to travel to the state to further their education.

“International education is an important service export for our State, worth $4.13 billion last financial year alone,” the Premier said.

“We know Queensland is already considered a major education destination for Japanese students, with more than 5,300 enrolments in 2017.

“The Tokyo Global Gateway will increase understanding between Japan and Queensland, but hopefully it will also generate an interest in Queensland that leads more Japanese students to come and enjoy everything our wonderful state has to offer.”

Tokyo Global Gateway will be officially opened on 6 September 2018.

Media Contact:  Geoff Breusch 0417 272 875