On August 27, approximately 40 teachers from elementary, junior high, and high schools across Fukuoka Prefecture held a street demonstration in Fukuoka City, calling for urgent reforms to address overwork in the education sector. The demonstration took place in front of Tenjin Parco in the bustling Tenjin district, aiming to draw public attention to the issue of excessive working hours faced by educators.
According to the Fukuoka Prefectural Teachers’ Union Liaison Council, which organized the protest, a national survey conducted in 2022 revealed that the average overtime for teachers across Japan exceeded 80 hours per month, a figure known as the “karoshi” (death from overwork) threshold. Teachers have been facing mounting workloads due to administrative duties, extracurricular activities, and other school-related responsibilities, often without corresponding overtime pay.
The demonstrators specifically criticized the current system under the “Special Pay Act for Teachers” (known as “Kyūtokuhō” in Japanese), which exempts teachers from receiving overtime pay despite the long hours they work. Although the Ministry of Education’s Central Council issued recommendations in May 2024 to address these issues, the proposals fell short of abolishing the Special Pay Act or implementing comprehensive reforms.
Participants in the protest emphasized the negative impact that excessive workloads have not only on teachers’ well-being but also on the quality of education provided to students. The organizers vowed to continue advocating for significant reforms, including proper compensation for overtime work and reduced workloads, to ensure a healthier work environment for teachers. Source: KBC
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