This 2023, we are very happy to celebrate 27 years since the Kumon Method of Learning was established in the Philippines. The Kumon Program, which started in Japan 65 years ago, was first introduced in the Philippines as a limited learning program for children of Japanese expatriates. However, word of its learning effectiveness spread by word of mouth, and it wasn’t long before Kumon Centers with Filipino Instructors were established and Filipino children began learning through the method.
Today, there are 315 Kumon Centers in the Philippines, with more than 95,000 students enrolled in our Centers. We are happy to be able to help so many Filipino children improve their basic academic skills through the Kumon Method of Learning.
Adapting and Innovating
For almost two and a half years, schools were forced to stop face-to-face learning and shifted entirely to online learning. To adapt to the changing times, Kumon Centers have been doing the same, offering students the online learning option for the entire pandemic period. We have taken advantage of the unique characteristics of the Kumon Method of Learning, which are “individualized learning by ability,” “small-step design of the worksheets,” and “just-right” level of learning, to further enhance children’s abilities no matter the learning setup. We have been working together with all Instructors from of each Kumon Center to provide the highest quality education online as much as possible. We have contributed to the growth of children even online through “person-to-person” communication and instruction, which has been well received by many customers–parents and students.
In addition, we also introduced tablet-based learning also known as KUMON CONNECT. In other words, students can now learn anytime, anywhere, while matching the needs of parents and students. The Kumon Method of Learning and worksheets remain unchanged – be it through online learning, face-to-face learning, or tablet-based learning. We will continue to work to provide our learning opportunities in a better way so that our customers can learn in any environment.
Building a Relationship with Parents
At Kumon, we believe that a child’s growth is difficult to achieve solely through Kumon Method of Learning. We offer the Math and Reading Programs with the stance of reinforcing and supporting learning at home. In other words, we are in constant communication with the parents of each student, and together we think about how to utilize the Kumon Method to help the child’s growth and to further enhance the learning effect.
This will not only help children achieve higher grades in Math and Reading, but also improve their ability to learn on their own, increase their persistence, and develop a spirit and attitude of independence in their daily lives. The Kumon Method does not only want to improve academic skills in Math and Reading, but also to cultivate the “zest for life” that children will need in the future through the study of Math and Reading.
Spreading Kumon to More Communities
I am happy to celebrate the 27th anniversary of Kumon Philippines, Inc. (KPI), together with the entire KPI family, as we continue to support many families (including past students, parents, and community members), Instructors (who continue to provide dedicated and intentional instruction), and staff members (who enthusiastically support our Instructors).
We are happy that it is not only new students who come to our Kumon Centers, but also new Instructors who want to open Kumon Centers – many of whom have become interested in the Kumon Method through word of mouth and introductions from acquaintances and friends.
This is proof that we have been supported by many families over the past 27 years, and that the value of the Kumon Method has been conveyed to these families. We are proud of this and confident that we will continue to move forward and provide value to many more families in the future who will be happy to have encountered Kumon.
With the end of the pandemic, the Philippines’ overall economy is booming, and with the boost of population growth, no one will doubt the future development of this country. I believe that one of the important elements in that development is education. We, in KPI, hope to contribute to the growth of each child, the development of local communities, and by extension, the progress of the Philippines as a whole, by providing better education opportunities to as many children as possible through the Kumon Method.
We are grateful to have been a part of the education industry in the Philippines for the past 27 years, and the KPI family will spare no effort to make further contributions for the next 27 years.
Mr. Hiroaki Takahashi
President of Kumon Philippines Inc.