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CHAPTER SUPPLY OF TEACHERS ANDPROVISION OF SCHOOL FACILITIES

It is generally believed that, within reason, low pupil-teacher ratios produce more effective teaching. As Japanese secondary school teachers are employed to teach the subjects in which they have specialized in their own training, the pupil-teacher ratios are lower in secondary schools than in elementary schools.

In 1964, the number of teachers per class in public schools of the whole country except nursery teachers, was 1.19 in elementary schools and 1.54 in lower secondary schools.

The standard allotment of teachers on the basis of school size and number of classes is set by the Standard Law. The revised Standard Law of 1964, will be completely effected in 1968, when the average fixed number of teachers per class, on a national average, will be 1.22 in elementary schools and 1.64 in lower secondary schools.

Compared with this number, in the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany, the number of teachers per class was, as of 1963, 1.1 in the elementary schools, 1.4 in modern schools and 1.5 in grammar schools in the United Kingdom, while in Germany it was 1.0 in folk schools,1.3 in middle schools, and 1.4 in gymnasiums in 1961. The number of teachers per class in Japan is lower than in those countries.