Japanese Government Policies in Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology 2001 [EDUCATIONAL REFORM Q&A Q6]

QUESTION

It is now possible to instruct smaller numbers of students in basic courses (e.g., 20-student classes). How will this change things?

Answer

At the 2001 ordinary session of the Diet, the law that sets standards for calculating the number of teaching staff per prefecture was amended. In cases where small-group instruction has been implemented (for example, where two classes are split into three groups for differing levels of instruction), the number of teachers needed for instruction has increased. Due to this change, small-group instruction has actually already been implemented from FY2001 in all prefectures.

Concerning the number of teachers in public elementary and lower secondary schools, legal standards are set concerning the number of teaching staff in elementary and lower secondary schools per prefecture, depending on the type of teaching staff, be it academic teachers, nursing teachers, school nutritionists or administrative staff.

Using this figure as a standard, each prefecture determines its own number of teaching staff, followed by their actual deployment to elementary and lower secondary schools with due consideration given to the situations of each school.

The standard numbers set for teachers have been raised on six occasions and according to the Seventh Plan to Improve Fixed Numbers of Education Personnel at Public Compulsory Schools (a five-year plan from FY2001 to FY2005), teacher numbers are to be raised by 26,900 over five years, with an increase of 5,380 staff for FY2001. This was done through the recent amending of related legislation.

In the recent legal amendment, in order to enable class teaching limited to approximately 20 pupils in subjects such as math, science and Japanese language in elementary school, and classes such as math, science and English in lower secondary school, numerical standards for teaching staff in each prefecture have been raised to ensure that there is an appropriate number of teaching staff for small-class teaching to be realized.

Through this legal amendment, teaching that is detailed in its attention to the interests and proficiency of each student can be further promoted. In addition to understandable lessons being developed, multiple teachers will enable multi-faceted teaching and evaluation, and mutual cooperation among teachers will be further promoted.

Concerning the specific classes where small-class teaching takes place, this will be decided in appropriate cooperation with the boards of education of each municipality and prefecture.

Concerning the number of teachers necessary to implement small-class teaching based on the Seventh Plan to Improve Fixed Numbers of Education Personnel at Public Compulsory Schools , a total of 22,500 new teachers will be employed over the five-year period, with an increase of 4,500 personnel for FY2001, the first year of the plan.


	Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > Japanese Government Policies in Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology 2001 >EDUCATIONAL REFORM Q&A Q6