Key Facts
• August 12, 2025: Saitama Education Board admits oversight in misconduct record checks.
• 2023 law mandates database (DB) checks for teacher hiring; 8,907 temporary hires missed.
• Total hires from April 2023 to July 17, 2025: 13,861; 60% lacked DB verification.
• All 8,907 unverified hires were later confirmed to have no misconduct records.
• Regular teacher hires during the same period underwent full DB checks.
• DB includes names and revoked licenses of teachers dismissed for misconduct.
• Saitama used a search tool but failed to utilize the mandated DB.
• Similar issues found in Nagoya and Hokkaido; national investigation launched.
• Ministry of Education begins nationwide survey on DB usage in August 2025.
Summary
The Saitama Education Board admitted to failing to check a national database for misconduct records of 8,907 temporary teachers hired since April 2023, despite a legal mandate. This oversight, attributed to a lack of awareness, affected 60% of temporary hires during the period. A subsequent review confirmed no misconduct records among the unverified hires. Regular teacher hires were fully vetted. The database, provided by the Ministry of Education, compiles information on teachers dismissed for misconduct. Similar lapses were reported in Nagoya and Hokkaido, prompting a nationwide investigation into database usage. The board has pledged stricter adherence to legal hiring procedures moving forward.
