TOKYO - The Japanese government plans to establish a new postgraduate curriculum enabling people without prior teacher training to obtain a teaching license in as little as one year, as the profession struggles with a labor shortage, sources familiar with the matter said Wednesday.
Those in the program may be paid while gaining experience in schools as part of their study. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology will aim to introduce the new pathway through revisions to law during the regular parliamentary session next year.
Prior professional experience will be deemed equivalent to 20 credits in subjects related to the applicant's expertise. They will need to obtain a further 37 credits for an elementary school teaching license or 36 credits for a junior or senior high school teaching license.
They will also be able to obtain an advanced teacher's permit after three years of teaching experience and earning another 15 credits in a postgraduate program.
Applicants will be required to have a bachelor's degree and be accepted via a process involving the university and board of education. Under a proposed curriculum, lectures would be held between April and May, practical training at a school through December and licenses would be granted between January and March the following year.
After obtaining their licenses, participants may work as instructors before being formally hired as teachers in April.
