According to a memo sent out in August, instructors are graded from highest to lowest in letter grades: ‘A’ to ‘E’.

If one meets every condition under every category (teaching, diligence, customer service, and contribution), he or she would receive a ‘C’, or an average grade. Managers have vaguely said that a teacher would have to go ‘above and beyond’ expectations to receive an ‘A.’

Additionally, teachers are expected to “share the company’s philosophy, ideals and goals” (even though no one seems to know what those are), and to “follow NOVA approved teaching methods and promote NOVA products and services” (without providing thorough training on them).

With such a small number of IMs and ISMs, NOVA can’t give teachers proper evaluations – there just isn’t the time. One teacher was told that his teaching style was already known, so he didn’t need to be observed in a lesson. Teachers are also known to have been penalized for incidents that date back more than a year.

Finally – in an attempt to skimp on paying for benefits, and squeeze every red yen out of their personnel – most instructors are officially part time, and are only paid for 44 minutes per lesson taught. However, they are required to greet students when they enter and leave branches, provide lobby service for child students’ parents, and be flexible to sudden, special requests. All of these things fall outside of that time.

In light of these concerns, we will shortly be submitting demands that NOVA suspend this system until all of these problems are resolved.