TOKYOApril 10 (News On Japan) – A survey conducted by a group of active teachers and experts found that as of December 2023, approximately 60% of Japanese primary and secondary schools will face a teacher shortage.
The group, made up of current teachers and knowledgeable individuals, conducted this survey from late December last year to late February this year, targeting approximately 1,300 teachers and principals across the country.
According to the survey findings, as of December 1, 2023, approximately 64.2% of primary schools and 55.9% of secondary schools reported experiencing a teacher shortage.
At the start of the fiscal year, the numbers were significantly lower, with about 37.1% of primary schools and 37.0% of secondary schools recognizing the problem. It is believed that the teacher shortage worsened towards the end of the year, exacerbated by an increase in maternity, paternity and sick leave.
Education researcher Masatoshi Senoo, involved in the research, emphasized the seriousness of the situation during a press conference. He said that while the survey could attract responses from those more acutely aware of the problem, potentially inflating the results, the critical state of education – critical to children’s learning – must be recognised.
Professor Yoshitomo Sueto of Nihon University, also part of the research team, acknowledged efforts such as multiple rounds of teacher recruitment exams and initiatives to discover individuals with dormant teaching licenses. However, he emphasized the importance of creating a working environment where teachers feel safe and secure. This includes analyzing and preventing the reasons behind absenteeism and dismissal to fundamentally address the teacher shortage.
Source: TBS
