JET Programme Update – Still on Chopping Block
This is just a brief update on the status of the JET Programme in light of the recent Japanese evaluation of governmental waste in spending. The current JET issue has recently come to the attention to many international news outlets and the JET alumni community has been taking steps to get the word out and demonstrate the ways that the JET Programme and JET alumni have given back to Japan.
Here is a list of articles derived from a recent article by AP reporter Tomoko Hosaka, titled “Does Japan Still Need 23-year old Exchange Program?” This article has been picked up by a number of news outlets (below), but doesn’t really provide a comprehensive description of the program and its concerns (taken directly from this article at Jetwit.com):
- The Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/29/AR2010072900233_2.html)
- LA Times -”With slow growth, Japan might cut exchange program that countered anti-Japanese feeling in US” – http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-as-japan-foreign-teachers,0,3428970.story
- The Atlanta Journal Constitution (http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/does-japan-still-need-580832.html)
- Fox News (just so you know the story is fair and balanced)- http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/07/29/slow-growth-japan-cut-exchange-program-countered-anti-japanese-feeling/
- The Canadian Press via Google – http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5icJiKrICsxyBe0EUSj6rZyl5vCYQ
- Business Week – http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9H8IK580.htm
- GulfNews.com – “Teaching scheme learns bitter lesson: Spending cuts haunt cultural exchange program” (an overly fatalistic headline considering the edited version of the original article they used) – http://gulfnews.com/news/world/other-world/teaching-scheme-learns-bitter-lesson-1.661393
Jetwit.com also does a very comprehensive post addressing some of the issues described in the Japan Times article about the current situation and you can read it here. With only speaking to a few students, the Japan Times article doesn’t really paint a comprehensive picture of the JET Programme. I am going to ask some of my ex students to share their stories and comments about the program and I will hopefully be sharing it soon.
And, if you haven’t already, please sign the petition at change.org: http://www.change.org/petitions/view/save_the_jet_program
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