JICA Activities in Yemen (as of March 2010)

The Republic of Yemen is still having one of the lowest rates of enrollment to basic education, highest rates of drop out and widest gaps between boys and girls in terms of access to education. Education indicators for basic education show that Net Enrollment Rate (NER) is 75% in 2007 and Gender Parity Index (GPI) of GER (F/M) is 0.74 in 2007 (UNESCO GMR, 2010). Poverty, drastic growth rate of population, lack of education amenities, social & traditional norms discouraging coeducation are the key factors behind this educational situation.The Government of Yemen (GoY) has been endeavoring to solve these challenging issues and improve the quality of education. GoY attempts crystallize in the implementation of Basic Education Development Strategy (BEDS, set up in 2003) and the pursuit of the realization of 2nd Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of education sector by 2015.

The Government of Japan (GoJ) has been responding to the requests of GoY to contribute for solving key issues facing the coverage of education nationwide and improving the quality of education. GoJ's support for the betterment of education in Yemen is materialized in technical cooperation through BRIDGE Project, general grant aid for the construction of school amenities and dispatch of Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCVs).

Technical Cooperation Project "Broadening Regional Initiative for Developing Girls' Education Project (BRIDGE) Phase I (2005–2008) and Phase II (2009-2013)"

 Broadening Regional Initiative for Developing Girls' Education (BRIDGE) Project phase I (2005-2008) has been implemented in Taiz governorate targeting 59 schools in 6 districts with the purpose of establishing an applicable and replicable model of good school management and enhancing girls' education based on community participation.

Based on the success and good reputation that BRIDGE I enjoyed, GoY requested GoJ to continue technical support for the implementation of BEDS. In response to the request of GoY, JICA, on 17 January 2010, launched the second phase of the project, namely BRIDGE II (2010-2013). BRIDGE II aims at building the capacity of Ministry of Education (MoE) at the central level in order to implement the model of school management developed in BRIDGE I. Dhamar governorate has been selected as the target governorate of BRIDGE II for the implementation of the model with close collaboration of MoE staff at central level who will replicate the model nationwide.

Taiz, as target governorate for BRIDGE I, is a reference site for BRIDGE II as the education people in Taiz have acquired the skills and experiences necessary for the replication of the model. Taiz local authority is now leading a self-reliant effort of expanding the model to other 60 schools in the governorate.

General Grant Aid " The Project for Construction of School Facilities of Basic Education (the Second Phase)"

The project aims at increasing total enrollment in basic education with specially targeting to promote girls' education through the construction of school facilities including classrooms and toilets for girls as usual Yemeni schools has no space of rooms and toilets for girls which fact discourages female students to continue schooling. The second phase of the project is divided into two stages and it includes the construction of 4 schools in the Capital Sana'a and 6 schools in some districts of Sana'a Governorate.

Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCVs)

Young Japanese Volunteers of JOCV Program have been dispatched to Yemen since 2005 to work in the field of nursery education. They have been actively engaged in the dissemination of nursery education model based on teaching child through play" ASOBI". Moreover, nursery education seminars on "Learning through Play" have been regularly held in close collaboration with Sana'a Capital Education Office and UNICEF.
JOCVs in the field of home economics and physical education are also dispatched to several public schools in Yemen. JOCVs play a significant role in developing these fields of education as all of subjects are still not requisite subjects in Yemen, and teachers for these fields are quite few.