Over Half of Junior High Teachers Top Overtime Guidelines

Tokyo, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)--Over half of public junior high school teachers worked more than 45 hours of overtime per month in Japan, exceeding the level set by national guidelines, an education ministry survey showed Friday.

According to the survey of working conditions at public schools between April and July, 46.3 pct of junior high school teachers worked 45 hours of overtime or less.

The figure rose 10.2 points from fiscal 2019, when the ministry began the current survey method. But the proportion of teachers with overtime hours within the guidelines remained below 50 pct.

The proportions of teachers working overtime of 45 hours or less stood at 63.2 pct at elementary schools and 63.4 pct at high schools.

"While there is an improving trend overall, we need to continue to promote efforts to reform working styles," a ministry official said.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]