Two student-rights advocates returned to the main site of protests over high-school curriculum guideline changes yesterday, completing a national walking tour to highlight the issue.
Hsu Kuan-tse (許冠澤) and Chou Tzu-hsiang (周子翔) led a parade of students and rights advocates in front of the Ministry of Education building for the final leg of the tour, shouting: “Reject black box procedures”; “Oppose brain-washing education”; and “Students are not idiots” as they marched in pouring rain to the ministry gates.
“I have already given up on ministry officials — no matter what you say, they do not listen,” Hsu said. “Eventually, when we grow up, we will take over [their] positions and do a better job.”
Photo: Weng Yu-huang, Taipei Times
Hsu said that while he had kept his word, finishing a nationwide walk, Minister of Education Wu Se-hwa (吳思華) had broken his promise to publicize the names of members of the committee that approved controversial “fine-tuning” of social studies guidelines.
At an Aug. 3 meeting with student leaders, Wu said he would publicize the names within 10 days, if the committee members gave their consent.
Hsu last week attempted to meet Wu at a summer school promotional event Wu was to attend at an elementary school in Jian Township (吉安) in Hualien, but Wu canceled his participation after hearing that student-rights advocates would be there.
Photo: Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
Chou said that after completing the tour he feels like he has “fully experienced life’s hardships,” adding that he plans to focus on promoting student activism in schools and prepare for college entrance exams next year.
The pair began their tour from the ministry’s gate on July 23, walking an average of 10 to 14 hours a day, covering 1,100km, they said, adding that they presented petitions to city and county governments to oppose the guidelines.
According to media reports, they were followed by police throughout their tour, during which they staged protests, including the disruption of a ceremony for National Kaohsiung Normal University president Wu Lien-shang (吳連賞), who was reportedly on the committee that approved the guidelines.
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
PAWSITIVE IMPACT: A shop owner said that while he adopted cats to take care of rodents, they have also attracted younger visitors who also buy his dried goods In Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕), cats lounging in shops along Dihua Street do more than nap amid the scent of dried seafood. Many have become beloved fixtures who double as photography models, attracting visitors and helping boost sales in one of the capital’s most historic quarters. A recent photo contest featuring more than a dozen shop cats drew more than 2,200 submissions, turning everyday cat-spotting into a friendly competition that attracted amateur and professional photographers. “It’s rare to see cats standing, so when it suddenly did, it felt like a lucky cat,” said Sabrina Hsu (徐淳蔚), who won the NT$10,000 top prize in
RSS