Nagoya City Board of Education: External investigation team reports interim report on money and goods receipt issue

Regarding the issue in which the Nagoya City Board of Education received money and goods from organizations such as teachers along with a list of teachers to recommend to the school principal, an investigative team made up of outside experts concluded, ``We could not conclude that personnel affairs had been significantly distorted.'' We have compiled an interim report titled ``. On the other hand, the company said it would proceed with further investigation, saying, ``There is a lack of awareness of the issue of whether it might appear as collusion in the eyes of the public, and it is inappropriate.''

Last month, the Nagoya City Board of Education revealed that every summer, they received cash and gift certificates from an organization formed by teachers from municipal elementary and junior high schools, along with a list of teachers to recommend to principals and others.

An investigative team of outside experts set up to address this issue compiled an interim report based on interviews with relevant parties and a questionnaire survey of teacher organizations, and submitted it to Mayor Kawamura and others on the 29th.

The interim report stated that 88% of the candidates for promotion were on the recommendation list, and that many of them had been recommended by organizations that had provided them with money and goods. This is difficult to handle, and the investigation to date has not led to a finding that personnel affairs were significantly distorted by the provision of money or goods."

On the other hand, ``because there is such a strong sense of camaraderie among both the provider and the receiver that they are teachers, there is a decisive lack of awareness and an objective perspective of whether this may appear to the public as collusion between teacher organizations and those with personnel authority.'' "We have no choice but to conclude that this is inappropriate."

In addition, during the investigation, there was testimony that the head of the faculty and staff division in charge of human resources and others had meals and drinks with retired Board of Education alumni, where they presented personnel proposals and listened to their opinions. He points out that problems may arise.

After further investigation, the company plans to compile a final report on the nature of human resources administration, the background to the long-standing acceptance of the practice of giving and receiving money and goods, and recommendations for measures to prevent recurrence.

Research team chairman: ``I've never heard of this in other local governments.''

Professor Ken Terawaki of Kyoto University of Arts, who is the chair of the research team, said at a press conference, ``Replacing teachers only with experienced teachers leads to the submission of monetary gifts and names, but I have heard that this is not the case in other local governments. There is no such thing,” he pointed out.

He added, ``Although it does seem that there is a weak relationship with the influence of money, goods and names, I do not think it is possible to say that there was no such thing at all, so we will continue to investigate individually through hearings, and by this summer. I would like to compile a final report."

On the other hand, Deputy Mayor Matsuo, who is in charge of the investigation team's secretariat, said, ``We received quite a number of complaints that Nagoya City is the only one doing irregular things, so we have to make improvements.As a city, we have a certain level of vision for reform.'' It will be necessary to show that."

Mayor Kawamura: ``I should have realized the reality''

After receiving the report, Mayor Kawamura told reporters, ``It is terrifying that a system of ``teacher control'' in which all teacher personnel decisions are decided by teachers alone has continued for 20 or 30 years. ``I should have realized that the name list and money and goods were being handed over to me.''

He added, ``We need to thoroughly investigate whether the names and money and goods really had an impact on personnel affairs and what the money they received was used for.'' Further investigation is needed in preparation for a final report. I recognized that.