| Location | 2-3-7, Kamitakada, Nakano-ku, Tokyo |
|---|---|
| TEL. | (+81)3-3389-7211 |
| Website | https://www.otsumanakano.ac.jp/ |
| Membership | 2022 |
2025 Annual Report
Biodiversity, Oceans, Disaster reduction/prevention, Climate change, Environment, Cultural diversity, World heritage/intangible cultural heritage/regional cultural properties, International understanding, Peace, Human rights, Gender equality, Sustainable production and consumption, Health, Dietary education, Poverty, Global Citizenship Education (GCED)
Otsuma Nakano Junior and Senior High School is founded on the educational philosophy of “cultivating scholarship in service of humanity” and upholds the school mission of “educating individuals who, as global citizens, can contribute to the creation of a sustainable and better society in Society 5.0 while also shaping their own well-being.” This mission closely aligns with the three pillars emphasized by UNESCO Associated Schools: (1) global citizenship education and a culture of peace and non-violence, (2) education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, and (3) intercultural learning and respect for cultural diversity and cultural heritage. These pillars are systematically integrated into all aspects of our educational activities.
In the 2025 academic year, our school advanced its initiatives by integrating its work as a UNESCO Associated School with its role as a hub school for MEXT’s Worldwide Learning (WWL) Consortium Project. Under the guiding concept of “Connecting and Taking Action: Collaborative Global Citizenship Education through a ‘Beyond School’ Approach,” we promoted learning that extends beyond the school environment. A defining feature of this year was the expansion of partnerships with universities, overseas schools, other UNESCO Associated Schools, and international organizations, enabling students to engage directly with society through authentic learning experiences.
At the junior high school level, inquiry-based learning was structured around Grade 7 Self Inquiry, Grade 8 Environmental Inquiry, and Grade 9 History and Peace Inquiry, closely linked with residential study programs. Through fieldwork and dialogue, students approached abstract themes such as environmental issues and war and peace as personal and relevant challenges, thereby developing foundational perspectives as global citizens. At the senior high school level, learning centered on the Period for Integrated Inquiry, where students independently formulated questions and carried out research, analysis, proposals, and presentations. Through participation in Model United Nations conferences and off-campus presentations, students actively engaged in Beyond School–based practices.
As a concrete outcome, students from our school took a leading role in facilitating sessions at the 6th UNESCO Associated Schools Kanto Block Conference, focusing on themes such as biodiversity and the post-SDGs agenda. By collaborating with participants from different schools and generations, they designed and conducted workshops that fostered dialogue on actions toward a sustainable society. In addition, students presented the achievements of their French-language studies through poster sessions, demonstrating an effective integration of language learning and intercultural understanding.
Through strengthened secondary–tertiary collaboration, our students participated in specialized programs on global issues, including healthcare disparities with Juntendo University, biodiversity conservation with Tokyo University of Agriculture, diversity- and inclusion-based business models with Hosei University, and English-language discussions on gender equity with Temple University Japan. These opportunities enabled students to engage with academic expertise while developing multidimensional perspectives on social challenges. Furthermore, through reciprocal visits and online collaboration with partner schools in Taiwan and Malaysia, as well as study abroad and educational travel programs in thirteen countries, students gained firsthand experience in learning, thinking, and acting within diverse cultural contexts.
By participating in national high school forums, WWL symposium, United Nations Day awareness activities, and the Model African Union associated with TICAD 9, students actively communicated their learning outcomes to wider audiences. The initiatives undertaken in the 2025 academic year represent tangible achievements as a UNESCO Associated School, grounded in networks and collaboration, and demonstrate a sustained commitment to cultivating global citizens capable of applying their academic learning to real-world challenges in pursuit of a sustainable future.
Annual Work Plan
In the 2026 academic year, which will serve as the official UNESCO Associated Schools review year, Otsuma Nakano Junior and Senior High School will strengthen its network and further promote Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) by developing improvement plans based on written reviews and expert feedback, as well as through active participation in related training programs.
Inquiry-based subject learning aligned with the priority themes of UNESCO Associated Schools will continue to be embedded in the curriculum, including Japanese Language Inquiry in Grade 7, Social Studies Inquiry in Grade 8, Mathematics Inquiry in Grade 9, and Inquiry and Global Issue Studies (GIS) at the senior high school level, building on past achievements while further developing these programs.
Through the Grade 9 Okinawa Peace and Environmental Studies Trip and the Grade 11 Global Study Tours to Malaysia, Taiwan, and Kyoto/Nara, students will deepen their experiential inquiry into global citizenship, peace, sustainable development, intercultural understanding, cultural diversity, and cultural heritage.
The school will further promote inquiry-based learning on global issues through collaboration with overseas partner schools, sharing outcomes from the marine environmental project with Sheng Kung Girls High School in Taiwan while also expanding collaborative initiatives with additional international partner institutions.
Within the Global Leaders Course, the subject Global Issue Study will continue to foster inquiry-based learning conducted in English and French, with enhanced efforts to participate in and contribute to the National High School Student Forum.
Secondary–tertiary collaboration will be further strengthened by utilizing universities’ specialized academic resources to implement student-centered, interactive collaborative classes and research programs conducted jointly with university students.
As platforms for disseminating inquiry outcomes, the school will continue to host the Global Arts Festival (School Cultural Festival) and the WWL Presentation Contest for Learning Outcomes.
Global citizenship education and intercultural learning will be promoted through short-term to one-year overseas study abroad programs.
Cross-grade extracurricular inquiry programs, including the Frontier Project Team and the STEAM-focused S-TEAM, will be continued, alongside strengthened collaboration with universities and UNESCO Associated Schools, as well as active participation in the UNESCO Associated Schools Kanto Block Conference to further disseminate student achievements.