Besides these there are temporary establish ments for the training of teachers where such sUbjectS as are specially needed in secondary schools are taught, for instance, English, Jap anese languages, natural history, physics and chemistry, etc. These institutes are annexed for the sake of economy and convenience to the universities or other government schools. The graduates from the middle schools or from the high schools for girls of four years' term may be admitted. The courses of study generally run for two years. No tuition is charged and school expenses and board are sometimes al lowed them. If they receive them for cer tain length of time they have obligation to serve after graduation during a certain period.
Special institutes for the training of indus trial, commercial and agricultural school teach ers are also established. These institutions are attached to the College of Agriculture of the Imperial University of Tokio, the Tokio Higher Commercial School and the Tokio Higher Technical School. School expenses and board are allowed them. Besides these arrange ments, aid is sometimes given to the students and pupils in the College of Agriculture or of other government schools on the condition that they serve after graduation in the technical schools.
All teachers who engage in elementary or secondary education. require teachers' licenses. Those in the government schools need none. The general license for elementary school teachers, heretofore granted by the Minister of Education, was discontinued in 1913, and the general and prefectural licenses being united, the one granted by local governors came to hold good throughout the empire. The Min ister of Education also issues general license for teachers of secondary schools. The gradu ates of certain government schools are entitled to receive this license without any formality. A permanent board of examination is attached to the Department of Education, whose work is to examine, generally once a year, applicants desiring to become teachers in the secondary schools. The standard of this examination is being gradually raised in view of the increased supply of properly qualified teachers during the last few years. A complete system of pension for all grades of teachers and professors has been established and has no doubt contributed largely toward making the teaching profession an honorable and a permanent one.