Marubeni Corporation - Digital Learning Pilot Project at a School in Indonesia Commences
January 20, 2023 at 02:45 pm
Share
Marubeni Corporation (hereinafter, 'Marubeni') and Kumon Institute of Education Co., Ltd (hereinafter, 'KUMON') have begun a pilot project to introduce digital learning content using tablets at an elementary school* in the inland area of South Sumatra, Indonesia. Along with the pilot project, Marubeni and Kumon have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to investigate and study the feasibility of providing this service to educational institutions in Indonesia.
Indonesia has the largest population in Southeast Asia at 270 million, as well as the largest number of students in the region, with about 23 million elementary school students and 170,000 elementary schools. It is expected that the demand for international-standard learning programs will increase along with recent economic growth. In addition, the improvement of basic academic skills and the elimination of educational disparities between urban and rural areas have become major social issues.
In this pilot project, digital learning content will be introduced into the existing school education system as a new subject. Marubeni and KUMON aim to verify the effects of improving students' basic academic skills and self-learning ability, as well as the teaching ability of teachers, and to establish a localized management system that meets the needs of Indonesian schools. Furthermore, Marubeni will also investigate the business feasibility of this service with the aim of offering it widely to academically advanced schools, schools in remote areas, and other schools in Indonesia.
Marubeni is focusing on the education business as part of its next-generation business development and is working on business development that contributes to solving educational issues faced by various countries and communities by utilizing the Marubeni Group's global network and overseas project expertise. While assessing the results of the pilot project, Marubeni and Kumon will pursue the possibility of expansion and further development throughout Indonesia and aim to jointly commercialize the service in other countries, such as those in Asia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), in the future.
*The educational institution in which the pilot project is being implemented is an elementary and junior high school operated through a foundation funded by PT. Tanjungenim Lestari Pulp & Paper ('TEL'), a subsidiary of Marubeni Corporation that manufactures and sells pulp and paper that began operations in 2011. The school is striving to coexist harmoniously with the local community by accepting not only children of TEL employees but also many children who live in the local community. As of January 2023, the school has a total of 851 students (kindergarten through junior high school).
Marubeni Corporation is a diversified group organized primarily around 12 business segments:
- sale of agricultural products and related services (47% of net sales): sale of agricultural inputs (crop protection products, fertilizers, seeds, etc.), precision farming services, formulation of crop protection products, export of cereals and oilseeds, etc.;
- sale of food products (17.6%);
- production and distribution of oil, gas, alternative energy and electricity (10.4%);
- production of chemicals and petrochemicals (6.4%);
- production of metals and mineral resources (4.9%);
- sale and financing of industrial and construction machinery and equipment (4.6%). The group also develops car sales and tire distribution activities;
- sales of consumer electronics (4.3%). In addition, the group develops real estate development and management activities;
- sale of forest products (2.3%): wood chips and biomass fuel, pulp and waste paper, paper, paperboard, hygiene products, building & construction materials and wood products;
- sale of apparel, accessories, textile and lifestyle products (1.1%);
- management and operation of aircraft and ships (1%);
- development of energy production units and industrial installations (0.3%);
- finance and leasing (0.1%): auto finance, aircraft leasing, aircraft engine leasing, leasing and renting of refrigerated trailers, commercial vehicles and commercial freight railcars, etc.
Net sales are distributed geographically as follows: Japan (37.2%), the United States (42.5%)