Over 100 teachers in managerial posts offer to take demotions in 2007

Written by Writer on Monday, October 20th, 2008

Over 100 teachers in managerial posts offer to take demotions in 2007

Kyodo News
Monday 20th October, 06:33 AM JST

TOKYO - A total of 106 teachers in managerial positions at public schools across Japan offered to take demotions to lower posts or rank-and-file teaching positions in the academic year ended in March 2008, with many citing health problems, an education ministry survey shows. The figure is the highest since the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology started surveying public elementary, junior and senior high schools in 2000 and was up 22 from the previous year.

Of the 106, 70 were vice principals who assumed rank-and-file teaching positions, while 31 were senior teachers in positions supporting principals as well as vice principals who returned to ordinary teaching positions. The remaining five were principals, with one becoming a vice principal and the others returning to teaching positions. ‘‘Teachers in these positions tend to be saddled with heavy workloads and we will urge (schools) to improve their working conditions so that they do not get too much work,’’ a ministry official said.