The Japanese Language Learning Center (JLLC), CamSur’s program offering free Nihongo Courses to the constituents of the province, enters another milestone as it is due to confer Certificates of Completion to 147 students Wednesday, February 20, 2008, 5 p.m. at the Capitol Convention Center and the registration for the next batch is well under way.

        Guest of Honor in said event is Masaaki Hirayama, CEO of Japan Nursing Service (JNS)-Kobe and will be accompanied by Vincent Adrian Ermita, President of JNS-Kobe on this trip.

        Governor LRay Villafuerte initiated the language program for free Nihongo Courses in 2005 as he saw the tremendous potential of the Japanese market for our local professionals that has remained untapped, believing that the decided edge that could attract Japanese investors is the presence of highly employable individuals with high proficiency in the Japanese language that Camarines Sur is ready to supply.

        The graduates, 147 in all with 114 having completed Level IV, 23 having completed Level III and 10 having completed Level II, this particular level having been offered just last February 2007. Based on Japanese educational curriculum, Level II is equivalent to the college level, while Levels III and IV are equivalent to intermediate high and intermediate low levels, respectively.

        At present, the program has to its credit 47 graduates having passed Level-IV, 25 passed Level-III, and 1 passed Level-II of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) given annually at De La Salle University, albeit, the result of the most recent examination given last December 2007 is awaited to increase the present roster. Given under the supervision of Japan Foundation, a Japanese agency, JLPT is the official test of one’s proficiency with the Japanese Language.

        As of press time, applications to avail of the program is still received and processed at the Camarines Sur Information Technology Center (CSITC) at Cadlan, Pili. CRFERNANDEZ/ MMEC