The success or failure of school education depends greatly on the quality of teachers. It is necessary to improve the quality of teachers through teacher development, employment, and training. Beginning in March 2009, MEXT implemented a system for renewing educational personnel certificates that requires educators to acquire the most advanced knowledge and skills every 10 years.

 MEXT encourages boards of education to undertake initiatives in order to accurately assess the abilities and achievements of teachers and appropriately reflect such assessment in assignments, remuneration, and so on. In April 2008, it became mandatory for prefectural boards of education and others with the authority to hire teachers to provide extra training to any teachers whose teaching is found to be inadequate. MEXT therefore promotes fair and appropriate personnel measures to ensure that inadequate teachers do not engage in education.

 MEXT has also begun a comprehensive review of policies to improve the quality of teachers, including enhancement of teacher training courses in universities.