The new teaching guidance and the five-day-a-week system will be put into practice in April 2002. The new Teaching Guidance will reduce the teaching contents by approximately 30 percent and aim at thoroughly teaching the basics and fundamentals. In the new system, the　need will be stressed for encouraging children.who will take an active role in future society, to learn and think by themselves, instead of being taught a voluminous amount of knowledge. Furthermore,the importance of experimental learning as well as problem solving will be stressed. In addition, the need for education to prepare students for the international world will be met by introduction of English conversation in General Education classes. In fact, Meguro city will increase native English assistant teachers from two to five at the elementary schools from April 2001, so as to provide the children with environment where they can meet foreign teachers and be familiarized with English.　 In December last year, a presentation meeting of research and study concerning General Education classes was held at the Nakameguro Elementary school and many observed the open classes and attended discussion of research and study. I for myself had the opportunity to observe a class called "Let's Extend our Wings to the World," and watched the children learn dances from foreign persons and do group learning with other foreign persons. After the class, I learnt that the Meguro UNESCO Association introduced these guest teachers and was impressed with the range and depth of the Association's activities. I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to them . 　It is my sincere wish that the Meguro UNESCO Association continue to develop in thefuture.Let us all strengthen the cooperation among us including the Educational Board and the schools to advance internationalization of Meguro city. Next Page