Masahiko Tembo, President and CEO of Riso Education Co., Ltd.

Education that can only be achieved by thinking about the future of our children

President and CEO of Riso Education Co., Ltd.　Masahiko Tembo(Tenbo Masahiko)

■ Profile

He graduated from the Faculty of Letters at the University of Tokyo in 1990. After gaining experience as a teacher at a cram school, he joined Japan Education Public Corporation (now Riso Education Co., Ltd.) in 1995. He became a director in 2014, president in 2015, and vice chairman in 2019, before returning to his current position as representative director and president in 2022. With the company philosophy of "Everything we do is for the future of our children," he provides genuine, one-on-one individualized instruction, right up to the point of getting into top schools, and is also actively involved in social contribution activities, including support for sports, arts, and culture, based on the idea of ​​"study plus one."

The Riso Education Group operates a wide range of businesses, primarily in education, including the one-on-one private tutoring school "TOMAS." What is the mindset of this company, which is involved in children's education, as it interacts with students and develops its business? We spoke with Masahiko Tenbo, President and CEO of Riso Education Co., Ltd.

During my university days, I was passionate about acting with my friends, and I would spend my days working part-time (as a cram school teacher) in between rehearsals.
After graduating from university, I wanted to continue acting and continued working part-time as a cram school teacher, but when I turned 30 and my child was about to be born, I realized that I couldn't continue like this and decided to change my environment. Looking back at my past self and wondering what I was suited to, I realized that as a teacher, I loved teaching students in a way that they could understand.
At that time, I came across our recruitment advertisement and was attracted by the idea of ​​individual instruction, so I decided to join the company. I joined without knowing anything and thinking that I would be able to teach students directly, but my work mainly consisted of classroom management, such as dealing with parents and following up with instructors.
Even so, it was very rewarding to be able to see the students grow right before my eyes. However, as I stayed there longer and gained more experience, my responsibilities increased, and as my teaching became more focused on employees and instructors rather than students, I sometimes wondered if this was really what I wanted to do. At times like that, I was able to overcome my worries by remembering the smiles of my students and believing that it would be for their benefit. I believe that these thoughts and experiences led to my own growth.

■ Putting our children's future first

The Riso Education Group operates a wide range of businesses centered on education, with the corporate philosophy of "Everything we do is for the future of our children." TOMAS is a one-of-a-kind private tutoring school, playing a central role and achieving a high success rate in passing entrance exams by providing one-on-one tutoring tailored to each student. Meimonkai employs professional working teachers to teach students in areas that cannot be covered by regular instruction.
Furthermore, "Shingakai" has established a system to support preschool children preparing for elementary school entrance exams, and as part of the Riso Education Group, it provides consistent support from preschool to university entrance exams. In addition, "School TOMAS" has introduced a private tutoring school within the school to provide one-on-one individualized instruction tailored to each student, and "Plus One Education" offers a variety of trial lessons to help children acquire the initiative, judgment, spirit of challenge, and cooperation that are necessary for living in society.

■ "One-on-one" is the essence of education

We believe that the basis and ideal of education is one-on-one. The one-on-many format is merely convenient for the teacher. This makes it impossible to tailor instruction to each student, and results in inconsistencies in students' understanding, making it unrealistic for education. That is why we place importance on teaching each student face-to-face. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to provide the one-on-one instruction that is the strength of TOMAS, we resumed face-to-face classes early on by taking all possible infection control measures.
In recent years, the educational field has been undergoing major changes with the introduction of AI and ICT. However, the essence of education remains unchanged. We believe that "someone becomes able to do something by teaching someone else," and that the essence of education is "one-on-one" face-to-face instruction.
It is important to continue providing an environment where children can learn and grow in this "someone teaches, someone learns" system that will remain unchanged into the future. We will continue to work to protect such a place.
Additionally, when it comes to instructors who oversee students' growth, we hire people who put students first and can understand their perspective. This is a job that can potentially influence students' futures, so while it can be very rewarding, it also comes with a great deal of responsibility. For the sake of students' futures, we need instructors who are tailored to each student, so that they can enjoy learning. Every student is unique, with different compatibility and values. This is why we employ a diverse range of instructors to provide education tailored to each student and support their growth.

■ A business that can only be done by putting children first

Currently, we are working with real estate companies Hulic Co., Ltd. and Konami Sports Co., Ltd. as a new business, preparing to open "Kodomo de Part." "Kodomo de Part" is a one-stop shop for everything child-related. This business was started by a group of companies that share the desire to support children throughout their lives. In response to the needs of dual-income families who "don't have time to send their children to extracurricular activities, but still want to give them a variety of experiences," Konami Sports Co., Ltd. and Shingakai have teamed up to launch an after-school care program that promotes both academic and athletic excellence. While placing emphasis on education, the Riso Education Group's ability to develop its business in line with the individual personalities of children and the needs of families is one of its strengths.

■Message to university students

When you're a student, you have a lot of time to do what you want. I feel that all the more now. Because the possibilities are endless, I want you to have the courage to take on challenges without fear or hesitation. It's okay to fail. It's precisely from failure that you can learn. It's okay to take things one step at a time, rather than changing everything all at once. Cherish the precious time you have as a student and forge ahead.

Interviewed by Student Newspaper Online on August 3, 2023 by Daiki Shimada, a third-year student at Kokugakuin University