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JET (setters) are on their way out
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buddhaboyjp



Joined: 24 Jan 2006
Posts: 75
Location: Dai Po, Tai Wo
PostPosted: Sun Apr 23, 2006 12:47 pm    Post subject: JET (setters) are on their way out Reply with quote
I do some team teaching twice aweek at an elementary school and the Japanese instructer told me that JET is on its way out.

NOTE: I have never been on the JET program.

Basically, the gov cannot finance this program anymore. Especially for a few reasons, being the cost of housing, and also, they have no experiece, being the fact they are recruited from overseas, fresh out of college.

Anyone else get wind of this?
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ripslyme



Joined: 29 Jan 2005
Posts: 481
Location: Japan
PostPosted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 12:51 am    Post subject: Re: JET (setters) are on their way out Reply with quote
buddhaboyjp wrote:
I do some team teaching twice aweek at an elementary school and the Japanese instructer told me that JET is on its way out.

NOTE: I have never been on the JET program.

Basically, the gov cannot finance this program anymore. Especially for a few reasons, being the cost of housing, and also, they have no experiece, being the fact they are recruited from overseas, fresh out of college.

Anyone else get wind of this?


This is old news. With dispatch and outsourcing companies providing ALTs at cut-rate prices, it's more economical for BoEs to go with them rather than the JET Program.

(fwiw, I've been on the JET Program. Now I'm working as an English teacher at a private school.)

Last edited by ripslyme on Sun Jan 14, 2007 3:16 am; edited 1 time in total
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J.



Joined: 03 May 2003
Posts: 327
PostPosted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 1:38 am    Post subject: Yeah, I heard something Reply with quote
similar second hand from someone who had heard it in an ESS meeting. I don't think it was old news to me as I was a bit shocked. Of course we all know about the trend of the BOE's hiring from intermediary companies, but who knew it was "official" that JET is going? I wonder if there has been any announcement from government?
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wangtesol



Joined: 24 May 2005
Posts: 280
PostPosted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 1:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Well, it is odd that the Ministry of Education is urging boards of education to use direct hires and the JET Programme as per its 2004 advisement, if it has been decided that the Programme is to be scrapped. I doubt if there has been any official decision. You can always email the man in charge of the ALT system, Mr. Kawano. His email address should be here...
http://alt.150m.com

The current private ALT system of using illegal outsourcing (gyomu itaku) currently under fire from the 90 or so ALTs of Kanagawa who lost their direct hire jobs to Interac. And It is the unscrupulous dealings by Brigham Young University that keeps it afloat by supplying Interac with hundreds of students for these illegal jobs. But hopefully ALTs will be hired directly just like Japanese teachers.

About 25% of the JET Programme has been privatized since 1999.

There is more on illegal outsourcing at the National Union of General Workers Tokyo South website....

http://www.nambufwc.org
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kitano



Joined: 18 Nov 2004
Posts: 86
PostPosted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 2:51 am    Post subject: if true Reply with quote
If what you say is true about gyomu itaku contracts then what does that say about Japanese Rule of Law. The Ministry of Education directly and publically says they are illegal and yet BOEs all over the country are doing this over multiple years. Sounds to me the rule of law is extremely weak or actually non existent as a system. That makes it very hard to fight from a legal perspective.
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TL



Joined: 07 Nov 2004
Posts: 76
Location: Seoul
PostPosted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 3:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Does anyone have a link to an official statement made by the government to scrap the JET program?
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JimDunlop2



Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Posts: 2286
Location: Japan
PostPosted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 4:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I suspect that the law has as many teeth as the pay-your-NHK law... It's illegal if you don't pay it but there is no stated penalty or punishment or consequence if you don't pay it.

It does beg the question. Obviously no one has yet been successful in pursuing legal action against a dispatch company on the basis of gyomu itaku. If anyone had, I would sure like to get more info about it.

Until it becomes unprofittable (in the way of punitive damages being awarded) in gyomu itaku cases, the fact that it's illegal probably won't impress many people.
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wangtesol



Joined: 24 May 2005
Posts: 280
PostPosted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 4:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Read the "Does Interac Still have cash flow problems" thread here on Dave's and look for Greatteacherterry's posts for the update on the fight against gyomu itaku.

The fight against illegal gyomu itaku contracts started in 2003. It is an ongoing battle from many different fronts. By the way, the owner of Korakuen English Centre claims to be the first company to use such contracts with schools - and that was 30 years ago!!! So, having started the fight 3 years ago is short time in comparison.

People should get their heads around the idea that just suing a company is NOT the only way to fight an illegal operation. There is more than one way to skin a cat.

Finally, if there are more direct hires then it will be possible for more direct hire ALTs at boards of education to unionize. Look at the Nishinomiya ALTs, for example. Their story is online at the General Union (Osaka) website...

http://www.generalunion.org
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shuize



Joined: 04 Sep 2004
Posts: 1270
PostPosted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 5:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
JimDunlop2 wrote:
Until it becomes unprofittable (in the way of punitive damages being awarded) in gyomu itaku cases, the fact that it's illegal probably won't impress many people.

Much like your call for punitive damages in a system that does not authorize them didn't impress me. But, hey, who am I to get in the way of English teachers spouting law?
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