The Ministry of Education (MOE) and a university are cosponsoring an original musical that pays special tribute to teachers, the first time such a project has been undertaken in Taiwan, Minister of Education Wu Ching-ji (吳清基) said yesterday.
The ministry said it hoped the show — part of the Republic of China’s centennial year celebrations — would raise student awareness about the need to respect their teachers, Wu said.
Called “Good Day, Teachers,” the two-hour production, which premieres on April 29 in Taipei, is based on anecdotes and stories that many people have experienced.
Chu Chih-hsiang (朱之祥), the director of the musical and an associate professor at National Taiwan University of Arts, acknowledged that respecting teachers could be boring or propagandistic, but said the crew has worked hard to try to convey the concept in a subtle way.
With original songs, dances and special effects, “we will definitely not preach or give sermons,” said Chu, who began working on the project in May last year. “We hope young and old alike will think of their teachers and express their gratitude to them after watching this show.”
A total of about 40 people, including 16 elementary school students, will appear on stage in the production, and Oscar-winning director Ang Lee (李安) was also expected to consult on the project.
The musical will be staged 26 times nationwide between April 29 and Sept. 25, with the final performance coming before Teachers’ Day on Sept. 28.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
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