The education ministry announced on Tuesday its decision to extend the period searches can be conducted in the ministry's database that compiles information on teachers dismissed for committing obscene acts or sexual harassment against students from three years to 40 years.
The move came amid an increase in the number of teachers punished for obcene acts. The number of such instructors and those who committed other similar offenses recorded in the database amounts to about 4,000. The Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry will ask prefectural boards of education to use the database with the utmost care.
About 800 organizations, including boards of education, use the database to verify whether those taking employment exams to become teachers have concealed records of previous disciplinary action.
The ministry plans to have implemented changes to the system done by November to enable users to search the records on dismissals and other factors over the past five years, and have teacher records accessible from the past 40 years by February next year.
"Neither students nor their parents can select schoolteachers in compulsory education. Unless we take a strict approach, it will be impossible to protect children," said education minister Koichi Hagiuda at a press conference following a Cabinet meeting the same day.
According to the ministry's latest survey on the issue in fiscal 2018, a record 163 teachers at public elementary, junior high and high schools and other schools were fired for committing obscene acts or sexual harassment against students.
The ministry has advised prefectural boards of education that dismissal should be the disciplinary action for teachers who commit such offenses.
Under the law on teaching certifications, those whose credentials have expired because of dismissal amid disciplinary actions cannot again obtain teaching certification for three years, even if their offense is not an obscene act or sexual harassment. They can obtain renewals, however, once the three-year expiration period has passed.
The database for searching information on the government's gazette currently denies users access to information that exceeds the three-year time frame. According to the ministry, boards of education are strongly voicing requests for access to disciplinary records that exceed that time frame.
The ministry, therefore, intends to make the records accessible for a longer period so users can review the data when hiring new teachers.
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