Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in China, the start of the new semester for schools up to senior high has been delayed, but some parents have accused the authorities of a ham-fisted response.
While a disease outbreak leaves the government with no option but to extend the winter vacation, the lack of comprehensive complementary measures leaves room for improvement.
The government announced this delay so that schools could take thorough precautions against the disease, and to set parents’ minds at rest, but there are still four things that it must do as soon as possible.
First, it must provide sufficient disease-prevention supplies. Although clinical treatment in Taiwan is on a par with other advanced countries, it has beem slow to supply disease-prevention materials. There is currently a shortage of masks, especially for children, as well as alcohol and forehead thermometers.
The government is good at gentle persuasion, but not so good at effective measures. How can schools effectively prevent diseases without adequate supplies? The central authorities should quickly provide these materials to local governments to pass them on to schools before they reopen.
Second, everything possible must be done to block disease-prevention loopholes. With the start of classes delayed, parents who are worried that their children’s studies would be interrupted might send them to cram schools, whose closed spaces are hotbeds for the virus to spread.
Similarly, private kindergartens are exempt from the delayed start. All private kindergarten classes should be suspended, while local governments should regulate cram schools and after-school classes. Local authorities should convene meetings with private-school operators and inspect their facilities to make sure they implement disease-prevention measures.
Third, the authorities should formulate complementary measures. Delaying the start of classes disrupts schools’ entire operations. Their calendars need to be adjusted and activities rescheduled. While the semester has been delayed for two weeks, the timetable for matriculation exams remains unchanged.
Word has it that the scope of exam questions would be reduced, but no clear announcement has yet been made. This means that teachers would have to rush through their courses, while students would have less time to prepare. The central authorities must speed up their efforts to address this issue and announce a plan as early as possible to facilitate schools’ arrangements and allow students time to study with peace of mind.
Fourth, the government must build digital e-learning systems. Epidemiologists think that the COVID-19 outbreak is still on the rise. If the epidemic does not slow down by the scheduled start of the new semester, the suspension of classes is likely to be extended.
That would have a negative impact on teaching, so the government must prepare beforehand.
A number of small organizations have already established e-learning platforms, both synchronous and asynchronous, that can overcome spatial limitations to deliver real instruction. Central authorities should collaborate with these platforms. They could also encourage schools to team up to promote remote live colearning, thus preparing them if and when the need arises.
Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) posted a message on Facebook calling on the public to join hands to fight the epidemic and safeguard children’s health.
The government must act firmly and promptly to extend and perfect a range of measures before classes start, and the public must work in unison to block the spread of this virus and safeguard the nation’s future.
Wen Shun-te is a senior-high school principal.
Translated by Julian Clegg
Recently, China launched another diplomatic offensive against Taiwan, improperly linking its “one China principle” with UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 to constrain Taiwan’s diplomatic space. After Taiwan’s presidential election on Jan. 13, China persuaded Nauru to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Nauru cited Resolution 2758 in its declaration of the diplomatic break. Subsequently, during the WHO Executive Board meeting that month, Beijing rallied countries including Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Belarus, Egypt, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Laos, Russia, Syria and Pakistan to reiterate the “one China principle” in their statements, and assert that “Resolution 2758 has settled the status of Taiwan” to hinder Taiwan’s
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s (李顯龍) decision to step down after 19 years and hand power to his deputy, Lawrence Wong (黃循財), on May 15 was expected — though, perhaps, not so soon. Most political analysts had been eyeing an end-of-year handover, to ensure more time for Wong to study and shadow the role, ahead of general elections that must be called by November next year. Wong — who is currently both deputy prime minister and minister of finance — would need a combination of fresh ideas, wisdom and experience as he writes the nation’s next chapter. The world that
Can US dialogue and cooperation with the communist dictatorship in Beijing help avert a Taiwan Strait crisis? Or is US President Joe Biden playing into Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) hands? With America preoccupied with the wars in Europe and the Middle East, Biden is seeking better relations with Xi’s regime. The goal is to responsibly manage US-China competition and prevent unintended conflict, thereby hoping to create greater space for the two countries to work together in areas where their interests align. The existing wars have already stretched US military resources thin, and the last thing Biden wants is yet another war.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, people have been asking if Taiwan is the next Ukraine. At a G7 meeting of national leaders in January, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida warned that Taiwan “could be the next Ukraine” if Chinese aggression is not checked. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said that if Russia is not defeated, then “today, it’s Ukraine, tomorrow it can be Taiwan.” China does not like this rhetoric. Its diplomats ask people to stop saying “Ukraine today, Taiwan tomorrow.” However, the rhetoric and stated ambition of Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) on Taiwan shows strong parallels with