I would like to update readers about the situation with assistant language teachers (mostly English teachers) in Kanagawa Prefecture. In April 2006, 89 ALTs were forced out of their high schools throughout the prefecture, and their positions were outsourced to a private company. The reasons given were: (1) inability to recruit enough teachers and (2) insufficient training and personal management problems.

A group of concerned ALTs formed a union under the General Union of Japan. We had asked the Japanese High School Teachers for assistance, but we were not members and could not be admitted to that union. The GU aggressively pursued our grievance through collective bargaining and asked the Kanagawa Labor Committee to look into the case. We reached a settlement this year. Last spring we were granted 50 hours of direct hire work by the Kanagawa Board of Education. This is a long awaited victory in our quest to improve the quality of language education. We thank our supporters for never giving up on us through thick and thin!

Currently, it is clear that the prefecture's outsourcing plan is not working well. Competent teachers are not being hired and rewarded for their efforts. The "temp-teacher" system is wasting tax money and, more importantly, valuable class time. One school reported that they had more than five different ALTs in one year. Students in those classes must have heard many self-introductions, yet had little chance to build a relationship with a native-speaking teacher.

If the outside company provides a "warm body" in the classroom, it is paid. The turnover rate is astounding; there are almost no experienced teachers. Public education is suffering, pushing more students to private schools. This is happening throughout Japan. Isn't it time that the education ministry investigate and evaluate the outsourcing of education?

john willis