New Delhi: The Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education, is sending 20 school students and two supervisors to Japan to participate in the prestigious Sakura Science Programme 2024. These students will join participants from five other countries during their visit from October 20-26, 2024. The group, consisting of 10 boys and 10 girls from Navodaya Vidyalayas and alumni of the PRERANA program, was flagged off at a special ceremony held at CIET-NCERT, New Delhi.
The flag-off event was graced by Charanjt Taneja, Deputy Secretary of DoSEL; Dr. Amarendra Prasad Behera, Joint Director of CIET-NCERT; and Kirti Panwar, Deputy Commissioner of Navodaya Vidyalaya. Officials from DoSEL-MoE and Kemmochi Yukio, Manager of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), were also in attendance to wish the students success on their educational journey.
The Sakura Science Programme, launched by the JST in 2014, aims to broaden the intellectual horizons of young learners by exposing them to Japan’s advanced scientific and technological developments. The program offers students the opportunity to experience cutting-edge innovations while also immersing themselves in Japanese culture. India has been participating in the programme since 2015, and this year’s delegation marks another step in fostering scientific curiosity and cross-cultural learning among Indian students.
The initiative aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasizes holistic and experiential learning. Educational trips, like the Sakura Programme, are seen as critical in engaging students and enhancing their understanding of historical, cultural, and technological advancements worldwide. Japan, known for its technological innovations and as a friendly nation, is a prime destination for such educational exchanges.
Since India’s first participation in the Sakura Programme in April 2016, a total of 553 Indian students and 85 supervisors have visited Japan. The most recent group of students attended the programme in June 2024, with the latest batch looking forward to furthering their knowledge and exploring Japan’s advancements in science and technology.