教育委員会改革 機能の立て直しをどう図るか

The Yomiuri Shimbun April 17, 2013
Functions of boards of education must be rebuilt in stable manner
教育委員会改革　機能の立て直しをどう図るか（4月16日付・読売社説）

The Education Rebuilding Implementation Council, which works directly under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, has submitted to Abe its second set of proposals calling for drastic reform of the education board system.
　安倍首相直属の教育再生実行会議が、教育委員会制度の抜本的な改革を求める第２次提言をまとめ、首相に提出した。

In the proposals, the council clearly states that the superintendent of a board of education, who is appointed by the head of a local government with the consent of a local assembly, is responsible for educational administration. The head of the local government also has the right to dismiss the superintendent under the proposals.
　提言は、自治体の首長が議会の同意を得て任命する教育長を、教育行政の責任者として明確に位置づけた。首長には教育長の罷免権も付与した。

The proposals are aimed at transforming the education board system. Currently, board members and other experts make decisions without any input from the head of a local government.
　首長から独立し、有識者など複数の教育委員の合議で意思決定を行ってきた現行の教委制度の転換を図る内容と言える。

It has come to light that local boards of education around the country have failed to function properly in dealing with such incidents as one involving an Otsu middle school boy who committed suicide in 2011, apparently due to bullying at school.
　大津市のいじめ自殺事件などの対応を巡り、各地で教委の機能不全が露呈している。

Prompt action essential

The government's Central Council for Education plans to study the proposals further.
政府は提言内容について、中央教育審議会でさらに検討を重ねる方針だ。

We hope the panel's assessment of the proposals will lead to rebuilding the educational administration at the local level.
　地方の教育行政の立て直しにつなげてもらいたい。

Under the current system, local boards of education have a chairperson representing the board and a superintendent in charge of administrative work. This has raised questions about who is responsible for educational administration.
　現行制度では、教育委員会の中に、代表者である教育委員長と、実務を統括する教育長が併存しており、責任の所在があいまいだとの批判がある。

Except for the superintendent, board members are appointed on a nonregular basis, and they hold meetings only a few times a month. The board's deliberations, therefore, tend to be a mere formality.
　教育長以外の委員は非常勤で、会議も月に数回程度しか開かれない。このため、審議が形骸化し、いじめや体罰など重大事案が起きた際、迅速な対応がとれないという弊害も顕在化していた。

It has recently become apparent that they often fail to take prompt action when serious incidents occur, such as bullying and corporal punishment.
　教育長に責任と権限を一元化することで、こうした問題点を是正し、教育行政の機動性を高めようとする狙いは理解できる。

The proposals are aimed at correcting these shortcomings and enhancing the board's maneuverability in implementing educational administration with the responsibility and power centering on the superintendent.
However, under the proposals, the authority for the personnel management of teachers and school officials and the selection of textbooks will be the responsibility of the superintendent.
Certain checks and balances are needed to prevent the superintendent from adopting biased policies.
　新たな教育長には、教職員人事や教科書採択などの権限が集中することが想定される。教育長が偏った方針の下で暴走しないよう、その業務をチェックする仕組みが不可欠だ。

In light of this, the proposals are calling for the maintenance of the education board system, rather than abolishing it. When the superintendent decides on basic policies and other key issues, the proposals call for these issues to be discussed by the entire board.
　提言が、教育委員会を廃止せずに存続させたのは、まさにそのためである。教育長が基本方針などを決める際には、教委で審議することを求めている。

The method of appointing board members also holds the key for the new boards of education to monitor educational administration.
　新たな教育委員会が教育行政に対する監視機能を果たすには、委員の任命方法も重要となる。

Political neutrality

The political neutrality of educational administration is essential, as the head of a local government would be empowered with the right to dismiss the superintendent. It is obvious the intentions of the head of a local government will be reflected, more than ever, in educational administration.
　首長が教育長の任免権を持つことにより、教育行政の政治的中立性が十分に確保できるかという問題もある。従来に比べ、首長の意向がより強く反映されるようになるのは間違いない。

Will the head of a local government appoint someone who exercises little discretion in educational administration merely because he or she shares the same political beliefs?
　首長が自らの政治的信条に合致しているというだけの理由で、教育行政の見識に欠ける人物を教育長に据えるといった事態は生じないだろうか。

Should the educational targets and policies change significantly every time a new head of a local government is elected, it would cause great confusion among teachers at local schools.
　首長が選挙で代わるごとに、教育の目標や方針が大きく変更されるようになれば、学校現場の混乱は避けられまい。

Even if the makeup of an education board changes, it is important to maintain the stability and continuity of educational administration.
　教育委員会の在り方は変わっても、教育行政の安定性や継続性を保つことが肝要である。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 16, 2013)
（2013年4月16日01時05分 読売新聞）