DILI, 14 december (TATOLI) – Since 2019, so far, 1,173 Timorese’s young people have graduated in Japan’s language from the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) Training Center. Some of the graduates have been working in Japan, and others are preparing to depart for Japan in January 2024 to continue their studies there.
Among the number are including 22 young people, 18 men and four women, who received more certificates from the YMCS on wednesday, which was attended by the Ambassador of Japan to Timor-Leste, Kimura Tetsuya, and the Director of the National Directorate of Foreign Employment (DNEE), João Correia Perreira.
“Our aim in opening the Japanese language course is to help young people who have the initiative to learn because there are currently many opportunities to work in Japan. That is why we want to make it easier for them. We are handing over Japanese course certificates to 22 graduating students who spent three months studying Japanese at the YMCA,” Executive Director of YMCA-TL, António da Silva, told reporters at the YMCA Training Center in Tasi-Tolu, Dili.
In addition, Da Silva said, several lecturers from the Timorese public university, the National University of Timor Lorosa’e (UNTL), have also benefited from the YMCA’s course before taking their master’s and doctoral programs in Japan.
Meanwhile, the Japanese Ambassador in Timor-Leste, Kimura Tetsuya, appreciated the YMCA-TL volunteers who have provided assistance to young people who want to learn Japan’s language.
“I thanked YMCA-TL for successfully developing Japanese for young people, and I ask YMCA-TL to continue developing Japanese for young people who want to learn because there are many opportunities to study and work in Japan,” he explained.
On the other hand, Director of the National Directorate of Foreign Employment (DNEE), João Correia Pereira, thanked the Government of Japan through its Embassy in Timor-Leste and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for supporting the Government of Timor-Leste in the field of training and other sectors, especially in SEFOPE, by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to send Timorese youth to participate in the Technical Intern Trainer (TIT) program in Japan.
“I encourage the 22 students graduating who have received their Japanese language certificates to continue learning and prepare yourselves for future job opportunities because nowadays places to learn languages, such as English, Korean, and Japanese, are open in many places in Timor-Leste,” the executive said.
He explained that language learning is not only for working abroad, such as in Australia, South Korea, and Japan, but also to get scholarship opportunities to study abroad and work in the country or at the embassy.
“I thanked the YMCA training center for teaching the youth of Timor-Leste in Japanese and asking them to develop themselves even better in the future, to prepare our youth for the upcoming industrial market,” he said.
Meanwhile, one of the participants who has received a certificate, Cornélio João, stated that he is ‘on the moon’ because he has successfully attended Japanese courses from YMCA and hopes the language skills will be useful in the future.
“I am very proud to be able to learn Japanese. This is an opportunity for me and will use this skill to find a job in Japan or try to find some scholarships because the language I learned will make it easier for me,” he said.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Rafael Ximenes de A. Belo
