Sony introduced the "KANDO Experience Program" from fiscal 2018 to fiscal 2025 as an initiative to address the social issue of children's educational inequality in Japan.
In recent years, there is a widening of the educational gap in Japan due to various social factors. These include poverty, as well as differences in their home and school environments, and district of residence. There are gaps not only in learning basic academic skills but also in hands-on experiences that help to develop creativity and curiosity.
In this program, we provided diverse KANDO experiences to children who had few such opportunities, by using our assets in the Sony Group, such as products, contents and technology and throughout partnership with non-profit organizations and other outside groups. The "KANDO Experience Program" focused on workshops which contain STEAM*1 fields utilizing our latest technology and content.
Offered KANDO Experience Programs to children in places where the educational inequality is most seen.
In the lower grades of elementary school, children spend an annual average of about 1,600*2 hours outside of school, such as after school or on vacation, which is longer than school hours. Hours spent outside of school is said to produce a gap in experience and opportunities which will have a great influence on children's growth.
Sony provided workshops using Sony Group assets at after-school care centers and "Kodomo Shokudo," community diners to offer dinner/programs to children.
Learn more about our previous programs (Only available in Japanese)
AI + Programming Workshop with "aibo"There is a tendency that children who resides in rural districts or remote islands, away from the city, have less opportunities to experience workshops in STEAM fields and interact with diverse role models who may impact their future career options.
MESH™ developer gives advice to children remotely from his officeSony provided MESH™*3 programming workshops, design workshops, creative experiences using toio™*4 robot toys of Sony Interactive Entertainment, and music-related workshops offered by Sony Music Entertainment in rural districts or remote islands.
These workshops were connected online to engineers at Sony Headquarters in Tokyo to interact, see the presentation from children and to advise them with ideas.
