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Returning to PNG to Share New Learning Former JICA Volunteer Yasunori Tada Visits PNG Again After 10 Years

Returning to PNG to Share New Learning Former JICA Volunteer Yasunori Tada Visits PNG Again After 10 Years

［Goal 4］ Quality Education

2026.08.07

　Yasunori Tada, a former JICA Volunteer who served in Manus Province nearly ten years ago, recently returned to Papua New Guinea (PNG).
　From 2015 to 2017, Mr. Tada worked at Papitalai Secondary School in Lorengau, Manus Province, where he supported science education and student learning. Today, he teaches science at a high school in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan, while also conducting graduate-level research on educational practices. His recent visit to PNG was aimed at sharing and applying the knowledge he has gained through his research in local schools.

●Supporting Students in Manus Province
　During his time as a JICA Volunteer, Mr. Tada was involved not only in classroom teaching but also in providing extra support to students who were eager to learn.

“Many students asked me to teach them more after class. I still remember their enthusiasm and strong desire to learn.”

Mr. Tada with students of Papitalai High School during his time as a JICA Volunteer. These experiences became the foundation of his current educational practice and research.

At the time, limited access to teaching and learning materials was a challenge in many schools. Wanting to leave behind something useful for future students, Mr. Tada worked with fellow science volunteers to develop a science workbook for high school students.

“I wanted to create something that would remain useful even after I left.”

　The workbook was distributed to schools and, according to local educators, continues to be used in some areas today.

●Promoting Learning for Every Student
　The main purpose of Mr. Tada’s recent visit was to introduce and explore the concept of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), an educational approach that aims to create learning environments where all students can participate and succeed.
　This approach recognizes that students learn in different ways and encourages educators to provide multiple opportunities for learning and participation. Rather than relying on a single method of teaching or assessment, UDL promotes the use of various ways to present information, allows students to express what they have learned through different methods, and supports them in taking an active role in their own learning.
　Mr. Tada recently conducted research on this approach in Japan and wanted to share the knowledge and insights he gained with educators and students in PNG.
　As part of his visit, he conducted classroom activities at Sogeri National School of Excellence, using student surveys and classroom observations to better understand how students learn and what helps them engage most effectively in lessons.

“I wanted to share what I have learned through my research with the people of PNG,” Mr. Tada said.

●Rediscovering the Charm of PNG
　When asked how it felt to return to PNG after ten years, Mr. Tada smiled and recalled some familiar experiences.
　
“When I arrived, the bus that was supposed to pick me up didn’t come, and later I found that there was no fuel available for transportation. At that moment, I thought, ‘Yes, this is PNG.’”

While these experiences brought back memories, what impressed him most was something that had not changed.

“The people of PNG are incredibly friendly and open-minded. I felt that this hospitality and warmth remain one of the country’s greatest strengths.”

Mr. Tada was accompanied by Mr. Sasase, who also served as a JICA Volunteer in Kokopo during the same period, during their visit to the JICA PNG Office.

　He was also impressed by the students he met at Sogeri National School of Excellence.

“Many of them were calm, thoughtful, and confident in expressing their own ideas.”

　Even after a decade, Mr. Tada found that the warmth of the people and the connections he built during his service remained an important part of his memories of PNG.

Mr. Tada conducting a lesson at Sogeri High School of Excellence, sharing educational practices based on Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

●Lessons That Continue to Shape His Work
　Mr. Tada believes that his experience in PNG continues to influence both his teaching and research today.

“At the time, I didn’t fully realize it. But looking back, my experience as a volunteer became the foundation for many of the challenges I later decided to take on.”

　His time in PNG helped him become more confident in working across cultures and encouraged him to pursue further studies overseas.
It also played a significant role in shaping his current research interests.

“PNG taught me that people learn in different ways and come from different backgrounds. That experience is closely connected to the research I am doing today.”

●What PNG Means to Him
　Finally, we asked Mr. Tada what PNG means to him. After a moment of reflection, he replied:

“PNG is a country I will never forget.”
“It may not always be the easiest place to live, and there are certainly challenges. But the connections I made and the experiences I had here have stayed with me over the years.”
　
　The time Mr. Tada spent in PNG as a JICA Volunteer became the starting point for his growth as an educator and researcher. The experiences he gained here led to new learning, new challenges, and ultimately brought him back to PNG once again.

Mr. Tada reconnects with the JICA Staff who supported his JICA Volunteer activities in PNG.

Mr. Tada (right) visited PNG for the first time in nearly ten years and reunited with fellow former JICA Volunteers who served in the country during the same period.

　Ten years after completing his service, Mr. Tada’s return represents not only a personal reunion with a place that shaped his life, but also a new opportunity for collaboration and exchange between PNG and Japan.

　JICA PNG Office will continue to value people-to-people connections and support cooperation that contributes to friendship, learning, and mutual development between Papua New Guinea and Japan.

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