Gifu University Faculty of Education Hosts Online Open Lecture 2025

Gifu University Faculty of Education hosted an online open lecture 2025, titled, "Special Needs Education Management Training for School Principals Supporting Regular Classrooms," on Tuesday, August 19 and Thursday, December 18, 2025. This training program was jointly developed in 2023 by Gifu University Graduate School for Teaching Profession, in collaboration with the National Institute for School Teachers and Staff Development (NITS), and the Gifu Prefecture Association of Elementary and Junior High School Principals. This year, nine principals from elementary and junior high schools in Gifu Prefecture participated in the training, and five members from the association attended as observers.

In recent years, to realize the vision of a "Reiwa-era Japanese-style school education" that brings out the potential of every child, school principals are increasingly expected to take the lead in promoting special needs education. Although special needs education in regular classrooms has become an urgent issue, there is still a shortage of personnel and organizational structures to support it.

In the first session in August, participants attended a lecture on "Today's Special Needs Education," and shared initiatives and challenges from their respective schools by theme and discussed possible solutions.

In the second session in December, participants exchanged reports on their daily concerns, daily efforts, and outcomes in their schools. Amidst discussions on a wide range of issues--teacher shortages, in-school structures, continuity, and building trust with parents--participants emphasized the following key points:

- training and collaboration with specialists could deepen understanding of homeroom teachers' personalities and improve class operations and school culture;

- organizational strength could compensate for shortages in human resources while preventing teacher isolation and reinforcing support systems, and;

- building trust with parents and collaborating with external agencies could directly contribute to the stability and well-being of children.

While the concept of inclusive education is becoming more widely recognized, the shortage of personnel in school settings remains a serious challenge. Even under such circumstances, principals must continue to learn proactively, recognize and nurture the strengths of their students, provide clear educational direction to staff, and actively incorporate external information as they lead human resource development and school management. Through this training, it is expected that principals and staff alike will become more perceptive in understanding students, positive effects will be felt among children, and parents can build a strong trust in the school systems and education.