At the beginning of this semester, Taiwan is experiencing something of a “teacher drought,” which is affecting schools at all levels, rural and urban, from elementary to high-school level.
This is not only a staffing problem; it is due to a structural flaw in the education system. The gradual exodus of teachers would have a serious effect on the future of the country.
There are several underlying reasons behind the teacher shortage. First, the profession is no longer attractive. Teaching used to be considered an “iron rice bowl” occupation, but it is no more due to major pension reforms, salary stagnation and loss of social status. Teachers find themselves reported for trivial reasons, and overblown media reports and criticism from the public have forced passionate educational talents to quit.
Then there are misplaced policies. In the past few years, education authorities have repeatedly pushed for “highlight policies” that are often disconnected with the educational climate. While ostensibly caring about students’ well-being, they have only served to increase the administrative burden.
Temporary remedies have caused a vicious cycle to develop. To ensure that schools can open, education authorities have lowered the hiring threshold, allowing those without teacher training to enter the profession, rehiring retired teachers and even forcing current teachers to work overtime on a regular basis.
Another problem is the imbalance between supply and demand. There is a serious teacher shortage in some subjects — especially in more specialist fields such as physics, chemistry and information technology — as many potential teachers would rather turn to the high-paying technology industry. However, supply exceeds demand in other subjects, thus forcing many to give up after trying hard for years to pass the teacher exams.
However, within any crisis lies opportunity, and the combined impact of the declining birthrate and the teacher shortage might force society to rethink the nature of education. If we seize the chance to adjust education policies, it is still possible to reverse the unfavorable situation.
First, it is necessary to rebuild the status of teachers. Respecting professionalism is not a slogan, but to build institutional protection to prevent teachers from being sued recklessly and to evade unnecessary government intervention. If the Ministry of Education could emphasize the irreplaceability of the teaching profession restore respect for teachers, it would allow outstanding talents to return to schools.
The administrative workload should be reduced, so they can devote their energy to teaching. This means that it is necessary to thoroughly review the “highlight policies” that appear glamorous, but do little to help, minimizing administrative duties and the need to endlessly fill out forms. If teachers could devote more energy to curriculum design and student care, the quality of education would improve.
The teacher training and selection system should be amended to achieve a balance between supply and demand. Data analysis should be employed to predict teacher demand, and flexible channels for further education and job transfers should also be provided. Meanwhile, the monthly salary of “supply teachers” should be raised equal to others, and their seniority should be counted, so the large amount of supply teachers who have long supported the educational scene could have stable careers, too.
Education should return to neutrality and professionalism, and politics should, as much as possible, be kept away. Education should not be a stage for political grandstanding. Only by adhering to professional governance could the education ministry regain trust.
Chang Ruay-shiung is a former president of the National Taipei University of Business.
Translated by Eddy Chang
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