Gunma Kokusai Academy
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| Gunma Kokusai Academy ぐんま国際アカデミー | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
 | |
Ōta , Gunma Japan | |
| Information | |
| Opened | 7 April 2005 |
| Chairman | Masayoshi Shimizu |
| Principal | Teresita-Salve R. Tubianosa (Elementary School) Hiroyuki Kaneko (Secondary School) |
| Grades | 1-12 |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Language | English and Japanese |
| Campuses | 2 |
| Website | www |
The Gunma Kokusai Academy (ぐんま国際アカデミー), or GKA, is a private school in Ōta, Gunma, Japan, combining elementary school and secondary school education from grades 1 to 12 with an English language immersion programme. It was designated as a Special Education Zone School by the Koizumi government in 2003.[citation needed] A proportion of classes are conducted in English.[1]
The school opened on 7 April 2005 with a first grade and fourth grade (166 students in total).[2] In 2006, a second and a fifth grade were added to the school. In the following year, a sixth and a third grade were also added. In April 2008, Gunma Kokusai Academy started its first junior high class. In April 2011, the high school started with the junior and senior high school sections moving to a new secondary school campus.
Campuses
Elementary School
The elementary school for grades 1 to 6 is located at 69-1 Nishi-honcho, Ota. As of January 2013, the principal is Teresita-Salve R. Tubianosa.[3]
The school building, designed by Coelacanth and Associates, won the 2007 JIA Award presented annually by the Japan Institute of Architects.[4]
Secondary School
The secondary school for grades 7 to 12 is located at 1361-4 Uchigashima-cho, Ota. As of January 2014, the principal is Shizue Yoshida.[3]
The secondary school opened in 2011 on the site of the former Gunma Shorei Junior College of Welfare.[5] With the opening of the new secondary school, the junior high school facilities (grades 7 to 9) were also moved from the original elementary school campus.[5]
Funding
The school was founded using 650 million yen of public funds provided by Ota City.[6] Ota also paid the annual operating fees for the first two years in which private subsidies were not approved for the school by Gunma Prefecture.[6] From fiscal 2007, Gunma Prefecture approved private subsidies, and the city of Ota thus stopped providing funding.[6] The land on which the school was built was initially provided by the city of Ota free of charge, but from fiscal 2008, the school paid an annual lease of approximately 10 million yen.[6]
School Mottos
Knowledge, Creativity, Dignity
Academic achievements
In 2011, three junior high school pupils from GKA achieved TOEIC English proficiency scores of over 900 (out of a maximum of 990).[7]
In 2010, the average TOEIC score for GKA junior high school pupils was 534.8, higher than the average score of 445 for Japanese university students.[7]
See also
References
- ^ 英語で授業 思考力養う議論 ぐんま国際アカデミー [Gunma Kokusai Academy - Lessons in English, discussion developing thought]. Yomiuri Online (in Japanese). Japan: The Yomiuri Shimbun. 18 May 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
- ^ "Ota English-immersion school opens". The Japan Times Online. Japan: The Japan Times Ltd. 7 April 2005. Retrieved 16 January 2013. (Archive)
- ^ a b "Message from the Principals". Gunma Kokusai Academy official website. Japan: Gunma Kokusai Academy. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
- ^ 日本建築大賞・日本建築家協会賞 2007年度一覧 [JIA Award 2007 list]. JIA official website (in Japanese). Japan: The Japan Institute of Architects. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
- ^ a b ＧＫＡ高等部、太田の短大跡地に設置へ １１年度開校予定 群馬 [GKA Secondary School to be located on site of Ota college - due to open in 2011]. The Asahi Shimbun Digital (in Japanese). Japan: The Asahi Shimbun Company. 25 September 2009. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
- ^ a b c d 『ぐんま国際アカデミー』開校５年目（群馬県太田市） 高等部開校控え、不安も [Gunma Kokusai Academy in its 5th year, unease ahead of high school opening]. Tokyo Web (in Japanese). Japan: The Chunichi Shimbun. 1 December 2009. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
- ^ a b ぐんま国際アカデミー３人 ＴＯＥＩＣ９００点台 [3 Gunma Kokusai Academy pupils get TOEIC scores over 900]. Jomo Shimbun News (in Japanese). Japan: Jomo Shimbun. 19 December 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2013.