Interac (Japan)
Encyclopedia
Interac is a Japan
ese comprehensive educational consultation company. The name is an acronym for International Education Research and Analysis Corporation. Founded in 1972 by Roice Krueger, While Interac's business originally concentrated on providing business English classes at companies the majority of their business is now concentrated in providing Assistant Language Teacher
s (ALTs) to elementary, middle, and high public schools. Interac provides teachers to approximately 1,400 schools around Japan.
The company has over 10 domestic branches within Japan, with an associated school and office in Provo and offices in Oxford, England; Melbourne, Australia; and Kingston, Jamaica. There are approximately 100 administrative staff and over 2,400 native-speaking Assistant Language Teachers and language consultants for English and other languages.
The company is currently owned and run by Advantage Partners as of March 2010.
broadcast the story of Samantha Bouton, an American ALT living in Chiba Prefecture
working for Interac and contracted to work in Japanese schools. The report notes that each week, Ms. Bouton, working with her teacher colleagues, makes her teaching schedule which she then sends to Interac. The company then returns the schedule as her official schedule. The report continues by saying this is, in fact, in conflict with Japanese law. Further, she is available for work from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., five days a week, for a total of 40 hours; however, her contract with Interac is for 29.5 hours only. It was widely reported at the time that this made her ineligible for enrollment in Shakai hoken
(Japanese Social Insurance). According to the union representing Interac unionized teachers, this rationale for coverage denial was recently rendered moot due to the Japanese government recently stating that there is, in fact, no minimum legal work time requirement for enrollment in Shakai hoken
. Furthermore, no company would ever be denied enrolling their employees in the Social Insurance program.
The January 5, 2008 edition of The Japan Times
carried a front-page story titled Assistant language teachers in trying times The article discusses the state of ALTs in Japan, and specifically deals with some of the problems experienced by Ms. Bouton while contracted with Interac.
area, the Fukuoka General Union in southern Japan, both members of the National Union of General Workers
, which is itself a member of Zenrokyo (National Trade Union Council).
In the Tokyo area in 2005, there was also a Nambu Interac Branch that was dissolved and combined with other ALT branches to form the Nambu ALTs in 2009. In 2010, the Nambu ALTs, along with the majority of Nambu FWC branches, voted to leave Nambu and form join the Zenkoku Ippan Tokyo General Union (Tozen
). In the Tokyo area and north eastern Japan, Interac, Maxceed and Selti teachers are unionized in the Zenkoku Ippan Tokyo General Union Tozen ALTs branch.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese comprehensive educational consultation company. The name is an acronym for International Education Research and Analysis Corporation. Founded in 1972 by Roice Krueger, While Interac's business originally concentrated on providing business English classes at companies the majority of their business is now concentrated in providing Assistant Language Teacher
Assistant Language Teacher
Assistant Language Teacher is a term that was created by the Japanese Ministry of Education at the time of the creation of the JET Programme as a translation of the term 外国語指導助手 or literally "foreign language instruction assistant." The terms AET , ELT and NESA Assistant Language Teacher (ALT)...
s (ALTs) to elementary, middle, and high public schools. Interac provides teachers to approximately 1,400 schools around Japan.
The company has over 10 domestic branches within Japan, with an associated school and office in Provo and offices in Oxford, England; Melbourne, Australia; and Kingston, Jamaica. There are approximately 100 administrative staff and over 2,400 native-speaking Assistant Language Teachers and language consultants for English and other languages.
The company is currently owned and run by Advantage Partners as of March 2010.
Controversy
On June 30, 2007, NHKNHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
broadcast the story of Samantha Bouton, an American ALT living in Chiba Prefecture
Chiba Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region and the Greater Tokyo Area. Its capital is Chiba City.- History :Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15, 1873 with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture and Inba Prefecture...
working for Interac and contracted to work in Japanese schools. The report notes that each week, Ms. Bouton, working with her teacher colleagues, makes her teaching schedule which she then sends to Interac. The company then returns the schedule as her official schedule. The report continues by saying this is, in fact, in conflict with Japanese law. Further, she is available for work from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., five days a week, for a total of 40 hours; however, her contract with Interac is for 29.5 hours only. It was widely reported at the time that this made her ineligible for enrollment in Shakai hoken
Social welfare in Japan
Social welfare, assistance for the ill or otherwise disabled and for the old, has long been provided in Japan by both the government and private companies. Beginning in the 1920s, the government enacted a series of welfare programs, based mainly on European models, to provide medical care and...
(Japanese Social Insurance). According to the union representing Interac unionized teachers, this rationale for coverage denial was recently rendered moot due to the Japanese government recently stating that there is, in fact, no minimum legal work time requirement for enrollment in Shakai hoken
Social welfare in Japan
Social welfare, assistance for the ill or otherwise disabled and for the old, has long been provided in Japan by both the government and private companies. Beginning in the 1920s, the government enacted a series of welfare programs, based mainly on European models, to provide medical care and...
. Furthermore, no company would ever be denied enrolling their employees in the Social Insurance program.
The January 5, 2008 edition of The Japan Times
The Japan Times
The Japan Times is an English language newspaper published in Japan. Unlike its competitors, the Daily Yomiuri and the International Herald Tribune/Asahi Shimbun, it is not affiliated with a Japanese language media organization...
carried a front-page story titled Assistant language teachers in trying times The article discusses the state of ALTs in Japan, and specifically deals with some of the problems experienced by Ms. Bouton while contracted with Interac.
Contract system
Usually, Interac ALTs working in Japanese public schools are hired using a gyomu-itaku or "entrusted service contract." This type of contract stipulates that the ALT is in no way directed by the staff at the school or the local board of education. Strictly speaking, the ALT may only do what is exactly written on their work assignment. This makes it virtually impossible to adapt to conditions in constantly changing classrooms. Besides the practical difficulties, the Japanese Education and Labor Ministries have declared that this use of the gyomu-itaku contract system violates Japan's Dispatch Law. The Ministries cited education law that stipulates that all instructors in a school must be under the direct control of the principal. Since ALTs with gyomu-itaku contracts are only directed by their company, said contracts are illegal. http://alt.150m.com/Union presence
Interac unionized teachers are represented by the General Union Interac Branch in the OsakaOsaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
area, the Fukuoka General Union in southern Japan, both members of the National Union of General Workers
National Union of General Workers
The The National Union of General Workers is the shortened, English title of the National Union of General Workers National Council , a national labour union council established in 1991...
, which is itself a member of Zenrokyo (National Trade Union Council).
In the Tokyo area in 2005, there was also a Nambu Interac Branch that was dissolved and combined with other ALT branches to form the Nambu ALTs in 2009. In 2010, the Nambu ALTs, along with the majority of Nambu FWC branches, voted to leave Nambu and form join the Zenkoku Ippan Tokyo General Union (Tozen
Tozen
' is a Japanese labor union. Known as the Tokyo General Union, or , was formed in 2010, and is one of few foreign-led multiethnic unions in Japan...
). In the Tokyo area and north eastern Japan, Interac, Maxceed and Selti teachers are unionized in the Zenkoku Ippan Tokyo General Union Tozen ALTs branch.
Group companies
Interac is a part of the Selnate Group. Other related companies include:- Selti
- Maxceed
See also
- Education in JapanEducation in JapanIn Japan, education is compulsory at the elementary and lower secondary levels. Approximately 98% of all students progress to the upper secondary level, which is voluntary . Most students attend public schools through the lower secondary level, but private education is popular at the upper...
- Tozen - Tokyo General UnionTozen' is a Japanese labor union. Known as the Tokyo General Union, or , was formed in 2010, and is one of few foreign-led multiethnic unions in Japan...
- General UnionGeneral UnionFounded in 1991, the ' is a labor union headquartered in Osaka, Japan. It mainly represents teachers and staff who are employed in language education at private conversation schools, high schools and universities in the Kansai and Chubu regions of Japan. Recently the union has started major...
- JET ProgrammeJET Programmeor is a Japanese government initiative that brings college graduates—mostly native speakers of English—to Japan as Assistant Language Teachers and Sports Education Advisors in Japanese kindergartens, elementary, junior high and high schools, or as Coordinators for International Relations in...
- Language educationLanguage educationLanguage education is the teaching and learning of a foreign or second language. Language education is a branch of applied linguistics.- Need for language education :...
- Teaching English as a foreign languageTeaching English as a foreign languageTeaching English as a foreign language refers to teaching English to students whose first language is not English. TEFL usually occurs in the student's own country, either within the state school system, or privately, e.g., in an after-hours language school or with a tutor...