Tzeng growing in education position

Taipei Times: How would you rate your performance over the past year?

Ovid Tzeng (曾志朗): I feel I have worked very hard. I have some ideas, and I know what my goals are. But initially things did not go as smoothly as expected because [as a scholar] I didn't know politics, and nor did I have a clue about how political operations functioned.

So for the first half of the year, I was groping around in the dark. I spent a lot of time putting forward my thoughts on education and talking to my staff at the ministry.

Because [Vice Minister of Education Fan Sun-lu (范巽綠) and myself] were appointed to our posts without extensive former connections in the education world, first we've had to get used to each other, then try to understand ministry culture so as to form a better team.

In the second half of the year, the ministry and I got to know each other better. I have learned a lot from my co-workers and Fan has been a great help to me.

TT: The financial scandal surrounding the Jin-Wen Institute of Technology (景文技術學院) has attracted a great deal of attention. When dealing with irregularities concerning private schools now, how do you deal with pressure and concern from outside and inside the ministry?

Tzeng: Frankly, the pressure since the Jin-Wen case has been greatly reduced, because few people now come to me to show their concern. Everything is transparent now. And that's what we want -- to allow everyone to monitor the situation closely.

As for sweeping reforms in the ministry, I can't say I am not under any pressure, but if we decide we want to deal with inappropriate actions in the ministry, there cannot be any more black box operations.

Certainly, some people feel uneasy about my stern attitude, but we have a consensus now that this is an urgent task that can't be put off any longer.

The sooner action is taken the better. If staff members are found to be involved in any misconduct, we have to pay attention to that.

We assert all actions must adhere to the law. This is a turning point in the development of private schools. We are working to set up a good model, so that in the future there will be corrective measures when such problems arise.

TT: You have often been accused of being inconsistent when speaking in public. Do you consider this to be fair?

Tzeng: When am I inconsistent? I am always very clear in what I say. The root of controversy is when everyone picks up a point and interprets it differently, in their own way.

Being a scientist, my thoughts are built upon procedures and steps. If you ask me what I am doing, I will give you an answer from my head, given the latest information I have.

But every answer I provide represents possibility, not a policy. Scientists have to consider all possibilities. They can't be deterministic, but must be probabilistic.

Information is dynamic. What I know today is different from what I knew yesterday. So I offer different responses. But if it is made into a policy, then it is final. I never change any policy. I am never inconsistent.

TT: Do you find it difficult to deal with the media because they tend to misinterpret whay you say?

Tzeng: Yes, it is very difficult for me because I like to be frank with everyone. I don't like to play word games.

But when I say something, the media sometimes add their own speculation and interpretation; my remarks will, as a result, be exaggerated and distorted.