Education Japanese teachers log longest working hours in OECD

A 2024 international survey has found that teachers in Japan still work longer hours than their peers in any other OECD country or region. Japanese teachers once again topped the list for total working hours. Elementary school teachers in Japan put in an average of 52.1 hours a week, while those in junior high schools work around 55.1 hours. These figures have remained relatively unchanged since the 2018 survey. Despite ongoing efforts and public debate aimed at easing teachers' workloads, the survey suggested that Japan's educators continue to face some of the most demanding schedules among developed countries.

Compared to the previous poll, the average weekly working hours for full-time teachers in Japan have decreased by 4.0 hours for both elementary and junior high schools. However, the international average stands at 40.4 hours for elementary and 41.0 hours for middle schools, with Japan exceeding these by 11.7 hours and 14.1 hours, respectively.

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