Benilde Advances Inclusive Education with Japanese Partners
Benilde Advances Inclusive Education with Japanese Partners
25 November 2024
For De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (Benilde), fostering meaningful global connections is more than a mission—it’s a calling. This November, the College took another bold step toward advancing inclusive education, as representatives Sherlo Reyes from the Center for External Linkages (CEL) and Ana Kristina Arce, program chairperson of the Bachelor in Applied Deaf Studies under the School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies (SDEAS), journeyed to Japan. Over five impactful days, they shared expertise, built alliances, and opened doors to transformative opportunities that transcend borders.
The Kyosaren 2024 Conference in Shiga, Japan, set the stage for their engagement from November 7 to 9. Reyes and Arce joined as resource speakers, weaving narratives of advocacy and resilience. Beyond the conference hall, they visited one of Japan’s many workshops for persons with disabilities (PWDs), where Deaf workers breathe new life into saddle cloth by crafting them into bags and accessories, while also finding fulfillment in a bakery supported by Japanese government funding. The visit underscored Japan’s robust commitment to empowering PWDs through financial security and skill-building.
At the conference, Reyes highlighted the Philippines’ progress in disability rights, specifically the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Arce captivated attendees by sharing her personal and professional journey as a Deaf educator and advocate in the Philippines. A dynamic Q&A session, moderated by Kyosaren’s President and a professor from Hosei University, offered a platform for cross-cultural learning and inspiration.
On November 10, their journey continued at National University Corporation Tsukuba University of Technology (NTUT), Japan’s only university dedicated to students who are blind, deaf, or hard of hearing. During discussions with NTUT leadership, both institutions committed to exploring Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), joint research projects, and faculty and student exchanges. A tour of the NTUT campus and the opportunity to observe a Deaf class provided Reyes and Arce a deeper understanding of Japan’s inclusive education strategies. Arce also delivered a compelling lecture on the creation and implementation of the Filipino Sign Language (FSL) Law, an achievement she described as a testament to the power of grassroots advocacy and policy-making.
The journey concluded at Hosei University’s Tama Campus in Machida on November 11, where Reyes and Arce met with Dr. Sano from the School of Social Policy and Administration. Known for its work in disability advocacy and social inclusion, Hosei University actively advances initiatives such as supported employment for persons with disabilities and community-based inclusive development. The proposed collaboration with Benilde—an international educational tour and a joint course on Deaf Awareness, Filipino and Japanese Sign Language, and policy development for PWDs—resonates with Hosei’s longstanding commitment to equitable opportunities and social welfare. With a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) anticipated in the coming months, the two institutions aim to finalize the curriculum by 2025, setting the stage for full implementation in 2026.
For Benilde, this visit wasn’t just about agreements or goodwill gestures—it was about setting the foundation for something bigger. As the College continues to cultivate partnerships that broaden horizons for its students, journeys like these remind us that true progress comes from collaboration. For leaders like Ana Kristina Arce, the work doesn’t stop here—it’s a lifelong mission to ensure inclusivity becomes a shared language across the globe.
For more information on Benilde’s Applied Deaf Studies program, other undergraduate programs and Benildean student life, contact us at (63) 2 8230 5100 local 1801 or admissions@benilde.edu.ph. You may also visit our website at www.benilde.edu.ph.
