Teacher training

Primary and secondary school teachers in Japan are trained mainly at universities or junior colleges.

Teachers are required to obtain certification, which is awarded by regional boards of education after candidates have completed their programs of study. Certificates are divided into three categories — second, first and advanced — based on the length of the program of study and the credits earned in teaching subjects and professional subjects.

Primary School Teachers

Primary school teachers are required to complete either a four-year Bachelor’s in Primary Education, or, for a second-class certificate, a two-year program at a junior college. The four-year program requires a minimum of 18 units in teaching subjects and 41 units in professional subjects, including a teaching practicum. There is also an advanced teaching certificate available to those who have completed a Master’s in Elementary Education. The majority of elementary school teachers have a four-year university degree.

Secondary School Teachers

Lower Secondary

Lower secondary school teachers must complete a four-year Bachelor’s in Education. The lower-secondary program requires a greater concentration in the teaching subjects than at the primary level, with a minimum of 40 units required. An advanced certificate is available to those who have completed a Master’s in Lower Secondary Education.

Upper Secondary

To qualify for the first-class teaching certificate required to teach at this level, students are required to complete a four-year degree with a concentration of 40 units in the teaching area of specialization and 19 in the area of professional studies. An advanced certificate is available to those who have completed a Master’s in Lower Secondary Education.

All four-year education programs require a minimum of 124 units. All beginning teachers are required to participate in a one-year supervised training program in the classroom and at a prefectural education center.