NARAMay 2 (News On Japan) – Tenri City in Nara Prefecture has opened a “special office” to handle complaints traditionally handled within schools.
The ongoing saga of excessive demands and complaints from parents is a major contributing factor to teacher burnout. In fiscal 2022, a record 639 teachers resigned due to mental health issues such as depression.
The struggle of the current primary school teacher: “Parents stood at the back of the class and followed the lesson because they thought I was not teaching well. I had to discuss problems with parents until about 11 p.m. It was tiring… thinking about that person all the time .”
Unreasonable complaints and demands from parents exacerbate the already heavy burdens on busy teachers.
In response to this urgent situation, Tenri City has established a โspecial parental response officeโ separate from the schools.
About a month after the introduction of this new system, the staff at the special desk began to feel its positive impact. However, this has not completely resolved the tension, as deep-seated anger and fear among parents about their children’s education and school activities continues to pose challenges.
The goal is to build a better understanding and address the root causes of parental anxiety, which often escalates into anger. Bringing in specialists to assist with these interactions has proven invaluable. While the system helps bridge some gaps, concerns remain about the intensity of the relationships developing between parents and the school. Not all responsibilities can be moved to the new system, as maintaining a direct connection with parents is essential to building trust and understanding.
Source: KTV NEWS
