International students from Africa participate as guest lecturers in international collaboration class at high school
June 26, 2025
On Friday, June 13, 2025, six international students from Rwanda, Cameroon, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including undergraduate and graduate students and exchange students, participated as guest lecturers in a special workshop-style class on comprehensive history at Saitama Prefectural Urawa Commercial High School.The workshop was planned and organized by Ms. Yumiko Matsuoka, a teacher at Saitama Prefectural Urawa Commercial High School who enrolled in TUFS's Master's Program as a working adult and graduated in March this year.
The theme of the class focused on key turning points in modern international relations, including “Imperialism and the Division of the World,” “Ethnic Movements in West and South Asia,” and “Ethnic Movements in East and Southeast Asia.” For the students of Urawa Commercial High School, this was a valuable opportunity to learn how the concepts of ‘imperialism’ and “ethnic movements” studied in textbooks are connected to the current realities of African countries through the voices of exchange students who actually came from those countries.
Prior to the class, the students studied the lecturers' countries of origin, researching their flags, languages, and greetings. On the day of the class, they greeted the lecturers in the languages they had learned, saying “Nice to meet you” and “Hello,” taking the first step toward communication. In a segment where the students learned how to say “thank you” in the lecturers' languages, a sense of respect for other cultures naturally developed.The international students carefully explained their country's cultural pride and social issues in both English and Japanese, and participated in a summary activity using poster paper together with the students.
The experience of directly interacting and learning together with people from different backgrounds was a valuable opportunity for both sides to broaden their horizons and deepen their learning.
Comments from participating international students
Mr. Paul Kani Bahoya (From the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2nd year student in the School of Japan Studies)
It was an interesting moment to see the daily life of high school students. I was impressed by three things. First, I realized that swimming is one of the mandatory classes, something we don’t have in my country, the DRC. Secondly, some students were also taking a cooking class, which is not taught in schools back home. Thirdly, students clean the school facilities before going home, our high school had cleaners. These are lessons and values that can improve education in my country. Students were very welcoming and ready to talk to us, even though they hadn’t had this kind of exchange with foreigners before.
Mr. Emmanuel Wepngong JATO (From Cameroon, Graduate School of Global Studies, Master's Program, Peace and Conflict Studies Course, 1st year)
Participating in the Urawa Commercial High School event was a truly meaningful experience for me. It was a great opportunity to share about my country, Cameroon, and to connect with Japanese students through my culture and stories. It was amazing to me about their curiosity, and willingness to learn. It was an opportunity for me to have an intercultural communication with the students. They also shared their ideas on resolve some social issues in Cameroon.
Mr. Abelsilva Lopir (From South Sudan, Graduate School of Global Studies, Doctoral Program, Peace and Conflict Studies Program)
What truly impressed me during the event was the students' genuine interest and commitment to addressing social issues in Africa and particularly in South Sudan. Their ability to engage critically with complex topics ranging from conflict resolution and early and forced marriage to climate change and illiteracy was both inspiring and encouraging. It was remarkable to see young minds not only understand the challenges facing the continent but also actively propose thoughtful and creative solutions.As young people who are learning to know a second language, it was awesome to see them working hard to communicate in English with me, and translation issues in Africa in an appropriate manner. Their agility in learning istop-notch, which I would like to give my kind support to such students shortly.
Ms. Shukulu Murekatete (From Rwanda, Graduate School of Global Studies, Doctoral Program, Peace and Conflict Studies Program)
On June 13th, 2025, I had the opportunity to visit Urawa Commercial High School.
I attended a history class as a guest teacher. During several class periods, I had the chance to teach and share with the high school students’ various topics, such as how to address certain social issues in my country. The students were able to come up with different solutions and discuss how those solutions could be implemented. In my opinion, it was a very valuable experience because I had the opportunity to interact with Japanese high school students in English, and the conversations were highly productive. Additionally, I was very impressed by how some of the students showed a high level of enthusiasm for learning about other countries and were eager to interact with foreigners. Their friendly and welcoming attitude was also very impressive. Overall, it was a wonderful experience for me, as I had the chance to experience the atmosphere of a Japanese high school setting, and I learned a lot there.
Mr. Irene Iradukunda (From Rwanda, exchange student)
In detail, I enjoyed this cultural exchange program, which we were invited to by the staff of Urawa Prefectural Commercial High School. Firstly, I was excited to take this opportunity to talk about my country "Rwanda", and it was also a great opportunity for me as an exchange student to share more insights into my country. Surprisingly, I was excited to see love from Japanese students, who were already familiar with simple phrases from my native language, such as "muraho"(hello), and "murakoze"(thank you), … This, filled me with pride to share about Rwanda, within my handout material, I highlight things that made me proud to my country such as safest and cleanest in Africa, led by visionary leaders and home of wildlife animals such as Gorilla, ... not only that, but also we tackled common issue like unemployment. During our discussion, we came up with different solutions, such as enhancing infrastructure in industries, promoting local production, and improving the education system, which are student opinions. Even though most of them were the first time to study about another country like Rwanda, they have bright solutions that should be used to address any problem globally. Our moment ended with many students expressing a desire to visit Rwanda. Additionally, I was impressed by many school extracurricular activities, which foster skill development, such as cooking and swimming. According to the information I have, many Japanese high school offers numerous opportunities for students to enhance their knowledge and skills. I am grateful for the chance to participate in this enriching experience.
Mr. Espoir Bohohya Majaliwa (From the Democratic Republic of the Congo, exchange student)
On June 13th, I had the honor of visiting Urawa Commercial High School, an experience that provided valuable insights into the Japanese educational system and its holistic approach to student development. During the visit, I had the opportunity to share aspects of Congolese culture with the students, including basic greetings and cultural expressions. I was particularly impressed by the students’ genuine curiosity and eagerness to engage. Their active listening and thoughtful questions—ranging from inquiries about traditional Congolese food to favorite animals—reflected a deep interest in understanding other cultures.
What struck me most was how the Japanese education system extends beyond purely academic achievement. Urawa Commercial High School offers a well-rounded curriculum that incorporates practical life skills such as swimming and cooking. I observed students learning these skills with great dedication and seriousness. Additionally, it was inspiring to learn that some students transition directly from this school into full-time employment, having been well-prepared by the institution for the workforce.
This visit made me reflect critically on how education is defined and delivered in my own community. It became evident to me that when education is designed to address both academic and practical life needs, it can significantly shape students' futures. The experience at Urawa Commercial High School was not only educational but also deeply inspiring, prompting me to reconsider the broader purpose and potential of education in societal development.
