Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2012 December 19 - 25 [LABOR]

Many school teachers suffering from mental distress

Findings released by the education ministry on December 24 show that more than 60% of public school teachers taking sick leave in 2011 are suffering from mental health problems.

The ministry conducted the survey of 920,000 teachers at public schools throughout the nation.

The number of teachers taking leave because of mental health problems has increased from 1993, reaching 5,458 in 2009. Though the number went down to 5,274 in 2011, it has still been stuck at a high level. For the past six years, those who are on leave due to mental health problems amount to over 60% of teaching staff who take sick leave.

In regard to the sorts of schools, elementary school teachers amount to 43.6% of all teachers on leave because of mental health issues. The second is junior high school teachers at 29.3%. Teachers in their 50s account for 38.6%, followed by those in their 40s at 32.5%. More than half of the school teachers suffering from mental health problems became ill within two years after they were assigned to their workplaces.

Takahashi Tomokazu, a primary school teacher in Kyoto City, became depressed during his first year as a teacher. Before he became ill, the new teaching staff, including Takahashi, were sent to attend a 20-day training course and were forced to prepare a detailed report on their training. On top of that, Takahashi hardly had days off due to repeated in-school training programs as well as engaging in preparations for various school functions and events.

The All-Japan Federation of Teachers and Staff Union (Zenkyo) has made proposals: to drastically increase the fixed number of public school teachers to free them from overtime work at schools and even at homes; and not to put undue pressure on teachers but to improve their working conditions so that they can concentrate on teaching.