Reporter Chen Jianxing / Taipei Report
Minister of Education Pan Wenzhong proposed at the end of last month that the policy of gradually reducing the teacher-to-student ratio in kindergartens will directly impact private kindergarten enrollment and teacher resources, increasing the cost burden, but there is no related supporting subsidies. The Kuomintang Legislative Yuan Party Group held a press conference on the 10th, calling on the Ministry of Education to communicate face-to-face with early childhood educators and parent groups as soon as possible, and propose relevant supporting measures to reduce the impact on private children and ensure that children and parents are treated fairly.
Wu Yiting, deputy secretary-general of the Kuomintang League, pointed out that the Kuomintang League supports the policy of national support for children aged from zero to six, and the reduction of the teacher-student ratio. But now the government subsidizes preschool education not because of the few, but because of the unevenness.
Li Dewei, a legislator of the Kuomintang, called on Pan Wenzhong to invite preschool educators and parent groups to discuss as soon as possible. Don’t let the luck of the lottery determine the future of the children. Children who study in private kindergartens are also children of the country and must be subsidized fairly. National support for children aged from zero to six is not a slogan. After adjusting the teacher-student ratio, the cost of the industry and the burden on parents will increase, and it is unfair to face soaring prices. Please don’t just call the cabinet Chen a warm cabinet, but it is flashy.
Liao Wenxiu, president of the Federation of Early Childhood Education of the Republic of China, believes that when the Minister of Education Pan Wenzhong announced at the beginning of the year that the teacher-student ratio for early childhood education should be 1:12, this made no one in the country’s early childhood education industry and teachers able to sleep peacefully. She questioned that the Ministry of Education has not discussed or discussed with the early childhood education industry when it formulated the policy. Even though it has left comments and suggestions on Minister Pan’s fan page many times, and even asked the minister to discuss face-to-face with the early childhood education industry across the country, it is a pity that so far there has been no response. Liao Wenxiu once again appealed to the Ministry of Education to fully discuss with the early childhood education industry when launching the new early childhood education policy, and not to release it in a one-sided manner. This is tantamount to bullying the early childhood education industry and parents across the country.
