“KOKOROZASHI”
Message from the president
Creating a space for learning in Kyoto that ties those from overseas with Japan.
In 2002, I created a school in my home province of Odisha in India, out of the goal of giving back to my native country through education and linking Japan and India. In addition to a curriculum of study for the children, we offer study abroad and exchange programs and opportunities for cultural interchange. It had long been my dream to, as with that school, establish a school in Japan that would help create a future for children and build deeper ties between people and countries.
Many talented people from overseas are working in Japan today. However, while they come to Japan out of an affinity for the country, they struggle to make roots here and wind up returning home. The main reason for this is children’s education. Established international schools have high tuition fees, so workers on an average salary are unable to send their children there. By contrast, sending them to a Japanese school would mean the studies would be largely in Japanese, so they would in turn struggle to pursue higher learning or a career if and when they return to their home country. By creating an international school that is affordable and accessible for the children of non-Japanese living in Japan, more people from overseas would be able to enjoy living in Japan for longer periods of time and forge deeper ties with the country and culture.
Through this school, we are creating a wider community around education, culture, and the economy.
At CSAIS (CHANDRA SEKHAR ACADEMY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL), we offer an Indian-style curriculum of education that is offered in English and has currency worldwide. In addition, the program incorporates learning in the Japanese language, manners, and culture.
The Japanese educational system is excellent in terms of both the curriculum and the faculty, but for children who have just arrived here, it takes time to learn the language and customs, which means their studies can take a backseat. In many cases, the parents and guardians of the children do not understand the Japanese language or culture, so it is a daily struggle for survival for the whole family. By allowing your children to learn the Japanese language and culture at our school, not only do they gain the opportunity to go on to a Japanese school in the future, but you, as their parent or guardian, will also learn much more about Japan.
The reason we selected Kyoto as the site for CSAIS was that it is the ideal place to learn about Japan while engaging with people from many walks of life. Kyoto’s long history has given root to cultural heritage and traditions everywhere. It is surrounded by mountains on three sides, and a lovely river flows through the center of town, with many natural vistas to enjoy. In addition, Kyoto has made a declaration as a “free city of global culture,” implying that it is a place where people from around the world can congregate and transcend ethnic, religious, and social differences to pursue a peaceable and free way of life and cultural interchange. For CSAIS, which puts a strong emphasis on cultural exchange and world peace, this makes it the ideal location.
By providing a rich educational context for children who have come from overseas, this will also allow the adults who come with them to develop a greater affinity for Japan and continue working here for longer. Our next goal is to grow CSAIS from an elementary school, expanding to offer middle school and high school curricula. If we can achieve this, we believe it will bring more universities, facing a shrinking student body with a smaller population, as well as companies seeking talented personnel from overseas, into Kyoto in pursuit of new opportunities. It is our hope that CSAIS will contribute to creating a wider academic, cultural, and economic community.