To eliminate poverty globally and realize a sustainable world, the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in September 2015, establishing 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with 169 targets.
By discovering the potential of each individual
and developing his or her ability to the maximum,
we aim to foster sound, capable people
and thus contribute to the global community.
Since its establishment in 1958, Kumon has consistently aimed to help students not only develop a high level of academic ability but also to become people who are capable of learning on their own. The Kumon Method, which was originally developed by a father for his son, is now available in more than 60 countries and regions around the world.
The United Nations is now promoting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The fourth SDG is to provide “high-quality education to all.” The Kumon Method has been and will continue to be committed to help individuals discover their potential and develop their abilities to the maximum on a worldwide scale. We believe KUMON will make an important contribution by providing solutions to problems faced by the whole global community through education.
Masakazu Sasaki
President
Kumon China Co., Ltd.
Since Kumon’s foundation, more than 10 million people have studied with Kumon in Japan and in over 60 countries and regions. We have heard from many of them, who are taking active roles in their fields, that the qualities they gained from their Kumon study have been very useful in their current jobs, activities, and lives. This includes high basic academic ability, the ability to think on one’s own, and an attitude of perseverance.
All Kumon Centers worldwide wish to contribute positively to the lives of the children and people of all generations who encounter Kumon and the SDGs so that they can make their own way in life.
Kumon provides learning therapy for senior citizens with dementia, aiming to support their independent lives through the maintenance and improvement of their brain function. Kumon also has Healthy Brain Centers that look to prevent dementia among healthy senior citizens.
Learning therapy is mainly used in nursing care facilities, while Healthy Brain Centers are organized primarily by local governments and NPOs and operated communally by the people of each community. Learning therapy (SAIDO Learning®） has also been practiced at facilities in the United States since 2011. Our goal is to contribute to building a community in which senior citizens can energetically lead independent lives with a smile and with peace of mind.
Kumon also works on human resource development, hoping to help children and adults with disabilities live the happy lives they desire. Thus, the Kumon program is provided not only in Kumon Centers but also in child development support centers, afterschool daycare services, facilities for transition support for employment, and corporate training programs.
Together with parents and adult guardians, Kumon is daily striving to realize a diverse society where we can live together and support one another by partnering with these facilities and corporations.
Sir Fazle Hasan Abed of the Bangladesh NGO BRAC requested that the Kumon program be implemented in BRAC Schools run by BRAC that offer education free of charge to children from low-income households. Receiving the request, Kumon launched a collaboration project with JICA, JETRO, and the University of Tokyo in 2015.
In 2019, Kumon signed a license agreement with BRAC and BRAC Kumon Limited (BKL), founded by BRAC. We plan to use the profits from Kumon Centers run by BKL for students from middle- to high-income households to enable the low-income children of BRAC Schools to study with Kumon free of charge. As such, we are working to provide sustainable educational support to children from low-income families.
Company founder Toru Kumon used to frequently say, “Education doesn’t mean forcing feet to fit into shoes but, rather, to make shoes that fit the feet.” Kumon is an individualized learning method with study materials that progresses in small steps to help students learn on their own at the “just-right” level for the ability of each student. The number of study repetitions is also set individually according to each student’s mastery level. The role of Kumon Instructors is thus to properly assess each student’s mastery and ability. The learning materials and instruction method enable anyone, from preschoolers to senior citizens, to study using the Kumon Method.
Aiming to provide high-quality education and to help every person maximize his or her potential, Kumon materials are continuously updated based on the learning results of many students. Instructors also keep researching the instruction method through daily training worldwide.
