The Hokkaido Welfare Education Vocational School in Muroran City established an “Advanced Japanese Language Education Course” for foreign students starting in October.
After the school received notification that the course agreed with governmental standards by the Immigration Services Agency this May, students admitted to the school on September 3 were authorized for the foreign student visa status, and the course was officially adopted.
The curriculum available from October onward consists of two courses with a 20 student limit and six month time frame for each course. Starting next April, the school will offer a year-long course (with a 20 student limit). Attending students will aim for a level required to pass the second highest “N2” level or higher in the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. After graduation, opportunities include acquiring a working visa by first advancing into a college or technical school, or attaining a “specified skilled worker” with the option to start working immediately.
On September 29, six students from four countries such as France and Panama who will attend the school were given the textbooks that they are going to use. Principle Sawada said, “We will be able to educate the students from language acquisition to specialized subject attainment all in one ongoing process.”