TOKYOApril 13 (News On Japan) – The Special Subcommittee of the Central Council for Education (Chuukyo-shin), which discussed the salary system and work style reforms for teachers, indicated that it plans to include a draft proposal to improve the the current framework, which replaces overtime with an additional monthly salary, while this additional amount is increased from the current 4% to at least 10% for the first time in half a century.
The special subcommittee of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has been considering reforms to the working style and treatment of teachers since June last year, and has debated the system established by a law known as the ‘Kyutokuho’ . founded over 50 years ago. This law compensates an estimated 8 hours of overtime per month with a 4% increase in monthly salary, instead of paying overtime.
The subcommittee learned that the draft proposal, while maintaining the Kyutokuho framework, will increase the additional amount from the current 4% to at least 10% for the first time in half a century. There have been calls from teachers and experts for a fundamental overhaul of the Kyutokuho, which has been criticized for encouraging long working hours and described as a system that allows ‘unlimited work for a fixed amount’. However, discussions so far have concluded that due to the professional nature of teaching, which is highly dependent on self-motivation and difficult to define, it is preferable to maintain the current framework while seeking improvements.
In addition, the draft proposal is amended to include the creation of new salary scales that reflect different working conditions, increasing and improving allowances for homeroom teachers and leadership positions, promoting the vocational teacher system beyond the upper grades of primary schools to others and expanding the placement of support staff, such as teacher assistants. The draft proposal is expected to be presented at the upcoming special meeting of the subcommittee.
Source: NHK
