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The Ministry of Education and Technical Education said that applications for the 2026/2027 academic year at all Egyptian Japanese Schools (EJS) will open Thursday, with 10 new schools set to open next year, raising the total from 69 to 79 nationwide.

Applications will be accepted for one month, starting Thursday, through the official website.

The move follows presidential directives to continue expanding the Egyptian Japanese Schools model, which uses Japanese-style education methods and structured extracurricular activities known as Tokkatsu. 

According to a ministry statement, the new schools will be located in El-Shorouk (Cairo), Ismailia, Alexandria (Montaza 2), Dekernes (Dakahlia), El-Hamoul (Kafr El-Sheikh), Shebin El-Kom 2 (Menoufia), El-Delengat (Beheira), Faisal (Giza), New Alamein City (Matrouh), and Ras Ghareb (Red Sea).

Authorities plan to increase the number of Egyptian Japanese Schools from 69 to about 500 within five years.

Tokkatsu, short for Tokubetsu Katsudō (Special Activities), is a key part of Japan’s national education system. It is designed to build students’ character, sense of responsibility, and ability to work with others alongside academic learning.

Tokkatsu is compulsory in Japanese schools and is part of daily school life rather than a separate subject. The approach focuses on developing behavior, values, and social skills through practical activities.

These activities include classroom meetings, student committees, teamwork exercises, school events, and daily tasks such as student-led cleaning (souji).

Expanding the network to 500 schools would create the largest Tokkatsu-based education system outside Japan. Current enrolment at existing schools is estimated at between 18,000 and 20,000 students, with total capacity expected to rise to between 125,000 and 150,000 students, depending on school size.

Teacher training is supported through programs run by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and a nationally managed Tokkatsu training and certification system.

Source: Al-Ahram Online