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CHAPTER SUPPLY OF TEACHERS ANDPROVISION OF SCHOOL FACILITIES

In order to improve the qualifications of teachers, in-service training is required of them as well as their own self-training.

The Ministry of Education and prefectural boards of education have been conducting various types of in-service training. Seminars on the extensively revised courses of study have been conducted for all the teachers at every level of education both by the Ministry of Education and by prefectural boards of education since 1958. The seminars have been not only of great value for the thorough understanding of the new revised curriculum,but also conductive to correct motivation for educational research activities undertaken by local boards of education as well as by individual schools. Furthermore, since 1960 the Government has given financial assistance to both the central and local organizations for educational studies for their expenses of the management and of printing reports of the studies made.

Besides, manuals and guidebooks for teachers are published for distribution to all teachers as one of the vital means of in-service training by the Ministry of Education and by prefectural boards of education.

Science teaching centers also have been established in individual prefectures as facilities for in-service training since 1960 and the National Education Center was set up in Tokyo in 1964.

As in-service training facilities, the state universities have organized 30 seminars for science teachers and study programs for teachers in technical subjects.

In-service training in the major countries varies from country to country in regard to their objectives and forms. In the United States, universities offer seminars or other classes and provide extension and correspondence courses during the regular and summer session for qualified teachers, granting credit applicable to the up-grading of certificates. In tlae United Kingdom, various local education authorities generally provide in-service training courses, and the Ministry of Education also establishes one-year complementary courses for teachers of specific subjects on a permanent basis. Also in France and the Federal Republic of Germany, in-service training for qualified teachers has been undertaken in various ways. In France, prior to granting regular teachers' certificates, 4 month in-service training is given for probationary teachers by normal schools, while in the Federal Republic of Germany prospective teachers are invited to attend in-service training courses during their probationary period.