Japan Considers Revising Teaching License System for Midcareer Professionals
Japan’s Ministry of Education plans to review its teaching license system to facilitate career changers who pursue graduate studies and wish to become teachers. The proposed reform aims to allow individuals to obtain a teaching license without completing undergraduate-level teacher training, thereby making it easier for midcareer professionals to enter the teaching field.
Under the current system, aspiring teachers must complete courses on pedagogy and subject content at a university or junior college, in addition to fulfilling a practical teaching requirement. There are separate teaching license categories: one for individuals with undergraduate degrees and another for those who have also completed graduate-level studies. However, obtaining a teaching license solely through graduate studies is currently not possible, meaning midcareer professionals must take undergraduate teaching courses as well, extending the time required to qualify.
The ministry decided to review the licensing system in response to a growing number of individuals who leave their jobs to pursue graduate studies with the goal of becoming teachers. A proposed new system would allow midcareer professionals, especially those without prior teacher training, to earn their teaching credentials through specialized graduate programs.
In fiscal 2024, the applicant-to-hire ratio for public school teaching positions fell to a record low of 3.2 times, with some schools unable to fill vacancies. The ministry hopes that this reform will create new opportunities for midcareer professionals with diverse expertise to transition into teaching, ultimately helping to address the growing teacher shortage in Japan.