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Meeting held to start implementing education reform

The Ministry of Education (MOE) yesterday convened a national meeting assembling the local directors of the Bureaus of Edu-cation across the country to work out concrete measures to implement its new education policies.

Two issues that raised concern last month were discussed at yesterday's meeting: one is to repair classrooms in old buildings which could jeopardize children's safety; the other is to improve traffic safety when students go on excursions.

Since the National Conference on Educational Development was concluded in mid-September with about 100 conclusions to be implemented, the ministry has been facing mounting pressure from teachers' associations, parents' groups and lawmakers, who all urged the ministry to accelerate the progress of the educational reform.

"The ministry has endeavored to adjust those policies that could be and should be changed, even though there are still some controversial issues, like the 12-year compulsory education program," said Minister of Education Huang Jong-tsun (黃榮村).

Huang said that the ministry had allocated about NT$6.4 billion to help overhaul the old and unsafe classrooms.

"The dangerous classrooms must not be used. Schools must move students to safe ones immediately, otherwise the ministry will punish schools who cause casualties because of this problem," Huang said.

As for the traffic safety issue, the ministry asked the local bureau directors to help schools to establish a network for handling any emergency and to devise safety education programs for students and teachers.
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