Record number of public school teachers on leave due to mental illness.
A government survey revealed a record high number (6,539) of public school teachers took leave due to mental illness in fiscal year 2022. The survey cited increased workload due to the COVID-19 as a possible factor. The increase for the year ending last March was up 642 from the previous year, or one in 140 teachers. Education experts cited the increased workload caused by the pandemic, in addition to a rising trend in complaints from the parents of students.
In addition to the record number of teachers out on leave, the shortage has been due to young people avoiding entering the profession, which is seen as having a heavy workload. Experts also noted that more teachers are taking leave due to childbirth. (Not enough children is another problem in Japan.)
The Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology Ministry recognized the situation as a serious challenge and says it will promote workstyle reform, including reducing paperwork and addressing long work hours.
Do you see this as an issue where you live? What is the solution to this problem?
3 comments:
I haven't heard that as a stat here, though I don't really follow it. But it doesn't surprise me a bit. It's a jungle out there! And mental illness is a broad swath of multiple issues. But wow.
We are having similar issues here, but I think it's more due to schools not getting enough funds rather than low numbers of teachers overall - I see many young teachers only getting time limited contracts, having to switch schools more often, etc, which additionally adds to stress and the profession becoming unattractive!
This is serious problem for Japan as a whole.
I'm wondering about this issue. It's obvious that there are fewer children that I was a child, but this kind of problem still occurs. Very strange.
when I was a child, there were a lot of children, and for better or for worse, they were easy-going about education. When I was a child, my teacher was an absolute presence, but now it's clearly different. Once you find the difference, there's no end to it.
Compulsory education in Japan is 9 years. currently, in some prefectures, students can attend private high schools for free, so I thing it is okay to include the three years of high school in the Compulsory education period. For example, if you add three years of high school to the Compulsory education period of elementary and junior high schools, it becomes 12 years. I think it would be a good idea to boldly change the educational curriculum for the past 12 years so that both teachers and students can enjoy the compulsory education period more relaxedly that currently do.
Currently in Japan, there is a system in which children in the same grade are promoted all at once every year. Is this system necessary? Do I need a textbook ?
I believe that the wisdom and courage of educators can solve this problem.
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