Japan pushes space educ in PH

Four engineers and scientists from the Japan Exploration Agency ( JAXA) and a “sensei” ( teacher) of Filipino engineers who developed and assembled “Diwata- 1” microsatellite in Japan are in the Philippines to help the country promote space science education.

They are JAXA’s Dr. Yukio Shimizu, Dr. Nozomu Sakuraba, Chris Okano, and Ms. Mika Hosobata.

Their visit is in collaboration with the NSDP and the Department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute ( DOST- SEI).

Shimizu and his fellow JAXA officials arrived on Feb. 15 and returned to Japan yesterday.

Prof. Yukihiro Takahashi of Hokkaido University’s Space Mission Center, is also in the country.

The Philippines is currently trying to develop and establish a Philippine Space Agency ( PSA) through the National Space Development Program ( NSDP) led by Dr. Rogel Mari D. Sese, program leader of NSDP.

Sese said JAXA’s “Space Education Center conducted the Space Education Seminar which aims to promote space education in the classroom.”

Takahashi delivered a lecture on the importance of having a microsatellite in space at the University of the Philippines ( UP) Diliman, Quezon City, on Feb. 18.

Takahashi is one of the Japanese engineers and scientists, others from Tohoku University, who mentored the nine Filipino engineers for just over a year and went on to design, develop, and assemble the Philippines’ firstever owned satellite, the 50- kg class microsatellite named Diwata- 1.

On Feb. 16 to 17, the four JAXA visitors gave a Space Education Seminar: “Exploring Space Science in the Classroom” at the Philippine Science High School ( PSHS) Central Luzon Campus, Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga.

PSHS- Central Luzon Campus Director Ms. Lilia T. Habacon lauded the seminar, saying “it will enhance the teaching of our basic sciences.”

She added that 25 science teachers from 11 PSHS campuses in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao participated in the space science seminar.

She said it will help in the conduct of research and the development of high level ( experiments).

A project briefer noted that in the Philippines space science and technology “is a field that needs to be given attention as it covers important concerns that are essential for national development.”