Japan Press Weekly

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2014 December 24 - 2015 January 6 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Education ministry’s plan to increase classroom hours will increase public school teachers’ fatigue

The education ministry is planning to introduce Saturday classes to public elementary and junior high schools nationwide under the name of improving students’ academic performance, imposing heavier workloads on teachers.

Currently, in line with the ministry’s plan, public elementary and junior high schools in Noda City in Chiba Prefecture are holding classes on Saturdays, twice a month.

In August this year, an elementary school teacher in the city was arrested under allegations of sending the city education commission “threatening letters” demanding an end to Saturday classes.

In the “letter”, the teacher wrote that Saturday classes have led to constant fatigue and may cause his death.

An annual survey conducted by the All Japan Teachers and Staff Union (Zenkyo) indicates that more than half of all public school teachers work at least 80 hours of overtime every month, the government-set danger line for possible karoshi (death from overtime). Figures in the survey included no classroom hours worked on Saturdays.

The Zenkyo-affiliated Chiba Prefectural Teachers’ Union in July carried out a survey regarding the expansion of school days to Saturdays. Some respondents said that due to an increase in teaching hours, they have difficulty in getting over their fatigue both mentally and physically. The other said that they suffered ill health because in addition to Saturday classes, many special school events took place between April and June.

Based on the survey results, the union in October conducted collective negotiations with the Noda City Board of Education, seeking a halt to Saturday classes and an improvement in teachers’ working conditions.

University of Tokyo Graduate School of Education Professor Katsuno Masaaki pointed out that imposition of longer school days will produce total exhaustion upon teachers who are already working excessively long hours. “Providing a better teaching environment for teachers, including smaller-sized classes, is essential to improving student achievement,” he stressed.


Past related articles:
> Workload for teachers in Japan stands out in world [July 6, 2014]
> Teachers suffer from long working hours [January 22, 2014]