The Abe administration plans to submit bills to this Diet session to change the shape and function of local boards of education. There are three main aims: (1) to increase local government heads' control over boards of education, (2) to greatly limit the autonomy of boards of education, and (3) to make it easier for the education ministry to intervene in decisions made by boards of education. The proposal seems very likely to destroy the neutrality of an education board and education itself.
At present, boards of education, in principle, consist of five members appointed by local government heads with the consent of local assemblies. Board members then select from among themselves their board heads as well as the heads of the boards' secretariats. Board of education heads cannot serve as secretariat heads at the same time. Secretariat heads serve under the boards' authority, but local government heads may exercise influence over the appointment of secretariat heads by expressing candidate preferences in advance.
Under the government proposal, local government heads, with the consent of local assemblies, will directly appoint board of education heads, whose function will be to integrate the current duties of board heads and those of secretariat heads. Thus the new system clearly puts board heads under the control of local government heads. Compared with the current system, the new system will have board heads wield more influence, because they will directly control secretariats' affairs.
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