【トレンドニュースin English】教員のなり手不足について

はじめに

最近のトレンドニュースを英語にして紹介しています。今回のトレンドニュースは、日本の「教員のなり手不足」についてです。英語力向上に、是非最後までご一読ください。

Summary of the Current Situation and Solutions for Teacher Shortages in Japan

Current Situation of Teacher Shortages:

• Nationwide Issue: A significant teacher shortage is evident in public elementary and junior high schools, affecting approximately 1 in 20 schools. In elementary schools, a high percentage of temporary or non-regular teachers are employed, especially in special support classes. The shortage has led to cases where head teachers or vice-principals take over as substitute class teachers.
• Regional Disparities: A 2023 survey revealed that 42.6% of municipalities reported worsening teacher shortages, with particularly severe conditions in elementary schools. While some municipalities have successfully implemented hiring measures, many continue to struggle with the issue.
• Trend of Aggravation: As of the beginning of the 2023 school year, many regions noted that teacher shortages had worsened compared to the previous year. Some schools were unable to assign homeroom teachers even at the start of the new term.

Causes of Teacher Shortages:

1. Decrease in Aspiring Teachers: Fewer people are aspiring to become teachers, making it difficult to secure both regular and non-regular teachers.
2. Mass Retirements: The retirement of the baby boomer generation has led to a significant reduction in the number of available teachers.
3. Increased Demand for Special Support Education: The rise in the number of students requiring special support has increased the demand for teachers.
4. Municipal Budget Constraints: Limited budgets for hiring teachers prevent municipalities from responding adequately to sudden shortages.

Impact of Teacher Shortages:

• Increased Workload for Other Teachers: With fewer teachers available, the remaining staff must take on additional responsibilities, reducing their time for administrative tasks and lesson preparation. This can lower the quality of education and pose risks to the health and retention of current teachers due to increased stress.

Solutions and Efforts:

1. Work Style Reforms: Introducing school support staff to reduce teachers’ administrative burdens.
2. Earlier Recruitment Exams: Moving the teacher recruitment exams forward to align with private sector hiring schedules to attract talented candidates.
3. Municipal Initiatives: Various local measures, including re-engaging certified but inactive teachers, recruiting through employment agencies, and increasing starting salaries for new teachers.
4. Reducing Workloads at School Level: Streamlining school events and reducing meetings to ease teachers’ workloads.

Importance of “Increase” and “Retain” Strategies:

• To address the teacher shortage effectively, it is crucial to both recruit new teachers (“Increase”) and create supportive environments for current teachers to continue working (“Retain”). Maintaining the quality of education requires societal support for teachers and aspiring teachers to enhance school vitality and secure funding for teacher retention and recruitment.

Individual Efforts:

• Teachers themselves should also look into optimizing their work efficiency and time management to help alleviate their workload. Strategies such as setting firm end-of-day times and integrating administrative tasks into class activities can be beneficial.

This summary outlines the comprehensive issues surrounding the current teacher shortage in Japan and suggests potential solutions. It emphasizes the need for collaborative efforts from educational institutions, local governments, and teachers themselves to gradually resolve this pressing issue.

語彙力向上

単語	発音記号	日本語訳	品詞	類義語	例文
Significant	/sɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt/	重要な、顕著な	形容詞	Notable, Substantial	A significant teacher shortage is evident in public schools.
Disparity	/dɪˈspærɪti/	格差、不均衡	名詞	Inequality, Imbalance	Regional disparities were noted in the severity of teacher shortages.
Aggravation	/ˌæɡrəˈveɪʃən/	悪化、深刻化	名詞	Worsening, Deterioration	Many regions noted an aggravation of teacher shortages.
Constraints	/kənˈstreɪnts/	制約、制限	名詞	Limitations, Restrictions	Municipal budget constraints limit the ability to hire more teachers.
Impact	/ˈɪmpækt/	影響、効果	名詞	Effect, Influence	The impact of teacher shortages includes increased workload for other teachers.
Recruitment	/rɪˈkruːtmənt/	採用、募集	名詞	Hiring, Enrollment	Moving the teacher recruitment exams forward to attract talented candidates.
Initiative	/ɪˈnɪʃɪətɪv/	取り組み、主導権	名詞	Strategy, Plan	Various municipal initiatives aim to address teacher shortages.
Streamline	/ˈstriːmlaɪn/	簡略化する、効率化する	動詞	Simplify, Rationalize	Streamlining school events can ease teachers’ workloads.
Retain	/rɪˈteɪn/	維持する、保持する	動詞	Maintain, Preserve	It is crucial to retain current teachers to ensure continuity in education.
Collaborative	/kəˈlæbərətɪv/	協力的な、共同の	形容詞	Cooperative, Joint	Collaborative efforts are needed to resolve the teacher shortage issue.

教員不足の現状と解決策の要約

教員不足の現状:

• 全国的な問題: 公立小中学校で教員不足が顕著で、約20校に1校が該当。小学校では臨時教員や非正規教員の割合が高く、特別支援学級ではその傾向がさらに強い。教員不足のため、主幹教諭や副校長が代替担任を務めるケースが増えている。
• 地域差: 2023年度の調査で、42.6%の自治体で教員不足が悪化し、小学校で特に深刻。対策に成功している自治体もあるが、多くは困難な状況が続いている。
• 深刻化の傾向: 2023年度初め時点で、教員不足が「1年前より悪化した」と答える地域が多く、新学期開始時点で担任が決まらない学校も多い。

教員不足の原因:

1. 教員志望者の減少: 教員になりたい人が減少し、正規・非正規教員の確保が難しくなっている。
2. 大量退職: 団塊世代の退職が進み、教員の供給が追いつかない。
3. 特別支援教育の需要増: 特別支援が必要な児童・生徒の増加により、教員の需要が増大。
4. 自治体の予算不足: 教員を雇用するための予算が限られ、緊急時に対応できない。

教員不足の影響:

• 他の教員の負担増: 担任教諭の支援に時間が取られ、事務仕事や授業準備に支障が出る。これにより教育の質が低下し、教員の健康問題や離職率の上昇が懸念される。

解決策と取り組み:

1. 働き方改革: スクール・サポート・スタッフの配置で教員の負担を軽減。
2. 採用試験の前倒し: 教員採用試験を早期化し、優秀な人材を確保。
3. 自治体の取り組み: ペーパーティーチャーの再活用、教員募集、給与アップなどの対策。
4. 業務負担の軽減: 行事の見直しや会議の削減などで教員の業務を効率化。

「増やす」と「減らさない」対策の重要性:

• 教員不足を解消するには、新たな教員の採用（「増やす」）と現職の教員が働き続けられる環境の整備（「減らさない」）の両方が不可欠。教育の質を保つため、教員や教員志望者を支援する社会的風潮を作ることが重要である。

個々の取り組み:

• 教員自身も、業務の効率化や時間管理を見直し、負担軽減に努めることが求められている。

この要約は、現在の日本における教員不足の問題を広範囲にわたって解説し、その解決策を提示しています。各教育機関や自治体、そして教員自身が協力し、問題解決に向けて努力することが重要です。

最後に

最近のトレンドニュースである日本の「教員のなり手不足」についてご一読頂きましたが、いかがだったでしょうか。

興味のあるトピックを英語で読むことで、楽しみながら英語に触れることができます。楽しくないと英語を勉強したり練習したりするモチベーションにつながりません。みなさんにとって、この記事が楽しく英語を勉強できる記事になっていることを願います！最後までご一読ありがとうございました！最後までご一読ください。