The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has compiled the results of the 2024 public school teacher recruitment examination, revealing that the ratio of applicants to positions for both elementary, junior high and high schools was the lowest on record. This is the first time since the survey began in 1979 that the ratio of applicants to positions for both elementary, junior high and high schools has been the lowest on record.
According to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, 3 elementary school applicants were accepted, and 6,259 were accepted, for a ratio of 1. This is lower than the previous year's 6,793, and the lowest on record. For junior high school, 2.2 applicants were accepted, and 2.3 were accepted, for a ratio of 3. This is a further drop from the previous year's 9,030, and the lowest on record. For high school, 9,830 applicants were accepted, and 4.0 were accepted, for a ratio of 4.3. This is lower than the previous year's 2, and the lowest on record.
The overall hiring ratio (competitive rate) for elementary, junior high and high schools, special needs schools, school nurses and nutrition teachers was the highest by prefecture and city in Tottori Prefecture at 8.0, while the lowest was Kumamoto City at 1.8. Nationwide, 11 applicants applied, and 5,619 were hired, resulting in a hiring ratio of 3, the lowest on record, down from 6,421 the previous year. The number of hires has been increasing since fiscal 3.4, and has continued to increase in recent years due to mass retirements and teacher shortages.
However, the number of test takers continues to decline every year, and is now down to about half of the peak in 1980. The decline in graduates is particularly notable. This is thought to be because in elementary schools, those who have worked as temporary or part-time teachers and are now taking the teacher recruitment exam again are being hired as full-time teachers. The number of graduates with experience working in the private sector is on the rise.
It is believed that this is not only due to the declining birthrate, but also because the workplace is burdensome. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has been working to improve the working environment by increasing staff numbers, but no visible results have been seen.
