Proposal to Increase Teacher Salaries by Over 10%

Apr 13, 2024 | News On Japan

TOKYO - The special subcommittee of the Central Council for Education (Chuukyo-shin), which has been discussing the salary system and work style reforms for teachers, has indicated that it plans to include a draft proposal to maintain the current framework, which substitutes overtime pay with an additional monthly salary, while raising this additional amount for the first time in half a century from the current 4% to at least 10%.

The special subcommittee of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has been considering reforms to the work style and treatment of teachers since June of last year, and has debated the system established by a law known as the "Kyutokuho," created over 50 years ago. This law compensates for an estimated 8 hours of overtime per month with a 4% increase in monthly salary, instead of paying overtime wages.

The subcommittee has learned that while maintaining the framework of the Kyutokuho, the draft proposal will raise the additional amount from the current 4% to at least 10% for the first time in half a century. There have been calls from teachers and experts for a fundamental review of the Kyutokuho, which has been criticized for encouraging long working hours and has been described as allowing "unlimited work for a fixed amount." However, the discussions have so far concluded that due to the professional nature of teaching, which relies heavily on self-motivation and is difficult to delineate, it is preferable to maintain the current framework while seeking improvements.

In addition to this, the draft proposal is being adjusted to include the creation of new salary grades to reflect different working conditions, increasing and improving allowances for homeroom teachers and managerial positions, promoting the subject teacher system beyond the upper grades of elementary schools to other grades, and expanding the placement of support staff such as teacher assistants. The draft proposal is expected to be presented at the upcoming special subcommittee meeting.

Source: NHK

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