Implementation in FY2021, hiring ahead of schedule
2022/09/10 07:00
The national average competition rate for teacher employment examinations for public elementary schools held by the boards of education of prefectures and ordinance-designated cities in fiscal 2021 is 2.5 times, 0.1 percentage points lower than in fiscal 2020, reaching a record low for the fourth consecutive year. On the 9th, a survey by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology revealed that it had become.
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology explained, “The main reason for the decline in the competition rate is the increase in the number of recruits due to the mass retirement of baby boomers.” However, many school officials point out that long working hours have not improved and the popularity of the profession has declined, making work style reform an urgent need.
In response to this situation, a special subcommittee of the Central Council for Education agreed on the 9th in principle to a proposal to ask the board of education to move up the examination schedule. The aim is to secure excellent human resources in order to compete with the recruitment of private companies, which offer job offers early.
According to a survey, a total of 16,152 elementary school students were hired. The number of recruits continued to increase until the 2018 exam due to mass retirements, and has been largely maintained since then.
On the other hand, the total number of applicants was 40,636, down about 30% from the peak in 2011. Looking at the breakdown of applicants, new graduates increased by 256 from fiscal 2008, while existing graduates decreased by 3,068. Due to the decline in the competitive rate, the number of new graduates who pass the exam has increased, and the number of those who failed and tried again while working seems to have decreased.
Akita Prefecture and Fukuoka Prefecture have the lowest competitive rate by municipality, at 1.3 times. A total of 17 people, including those in Hiroshima Prefecture and Hiroshima City, who took the recruitment exam together, did not double the number. The highest number was 9.2 times higher in Kochi Prefecture. (Joint)
Saga Prefecture 1.4 times, out of the bottom
In fiscal 2020, Saga Prefecture, which had the lowest competitive rate for public elementary school teacher recruitment exams in Japan, had a 1.4-fold increase in the number of those held in fiscal 2021, the same level as the previous year. Prefectural Superintendent of Education Yuji Ochiai said, “Although we have moved out of the bottom of the nation, the ratio is still extremely low, and the critical situation will not change.”
Regarding the recruitment of elementary school teachers, the prefectural board of education will start a new autumn selection process this fiscal year. We have also newly established a “remote island special selection,” which is premised on working on a remote island. Superintendent Ochiai said, “We’ll do whatever we can. Even if you were disappointed in other prefectures, I hope that those who are enthusiastic will participate in our autumn selection.”
The competition rate for junior high schools in the prefecture decreased by 0.1 points from the previous year to 2.6 times, while for high schools it decreased by 0.9 points to 7.5 times.