Kindergartens say ban on employing foreigners wrong

Representatives for kindergartens told lawmakers yesterday they should be allowed to legally hire foreign nationals as English-language teachers.

According to Lin Yi-te (林義德), president of Sesame cram school, the law prohibits kindergartens from hiring foreign teachers -- forcing some schools to play hide-and-seek with the authorities.

"To ensure a solid English-language foundation for our kindergarten youngsters, we hope the government will consider allowing foreign nationals to be English teachers" at kindergartens and nurseries, Lin said.

The cram school president said the prohibition forces many kindergartens to rely on "foreigners who are drifters or who are here in Taiwan as tourists."

Lin made the remarks yesterday during a public hearing held by KMT lawmaker Wang Yu-ting (王昱婷).

Liu Yi-chuan (劉奕權), director of elementary education at the ministry of education, and Kuo Chi-jen (郭吉仁), vice chairman of the Council of Labor Affairs, also attended the meeting.

Wang said many private kindergartens and nurseries in advertisements say they offer a "bilingual learning environment" to attract parents who want their children to begin learning English as soon as possible.

Lin noted that the law allows cram schools to hire foreign nationals as English teachers, but kindergartens and nurseries are prohibited from doing so.

"The prohibition has forced many kindergartens and nurseries ... to hire foreign teachers illegally and play hide-and-seek with the government authorities," Lin said.

"Because of the rules, kindergartens and nurseries can't hire qualified foreign teachers."

Lin estimated that of roughly 6,000 private kindergartens and nurseries nationwide, nearly 80 percent illegally employ foreign teachers.

The educator said allowing foreigners to work at kindergartens wouldn't be taking jobs away from Taiwanese English teachers.

"Foreign English teachers, coupled with local English teachers, can enhance" the learning environment, Lin said.

Kuo said the Council of Labor Affairs was willing to look into the matter, though under the presumption that lifting the ban wouldn't hurt the domestic job market.

Though Liu said it was important to have qualified English teachers, he added that it was also necessary to consider the influence foreigners may have on young people due to "cultural differences," "different ways of thinking" and "personality." He didn't elaborate further.

Liu said the education ministry would consider changing the rules as a part of other reforms scheduled to be proposed by the end of the year.