In the run-up to the March 19 presidential election, a usually minor topic has attracted the attention of several candidates.
KMT presidential candidate Lien Chan (連戰), DPP candidate Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and independent candidate James Soong (宋) have spoken up about pre-school education issues.
Yesterday, while on a campaign stop, Soong said: 洍t will be my goal to extend compulsory education another one year to include pre-school.
As a first step, Soong said education at public kindergartens should be free of charge for children five-to-six years of age.
For children attending private kindergartens, those from low-income families should not have to pay any tuition, Soong said, while those from middle-income families should receive partial subsidies namely education vouchers worth NT$10,000 per year per student.
Soong estimated that it would cost the government an additional NT$3 billion in the first year to implement his ideas, adding that the measures could get started as soon as September.
"I believe that this is within the affordable limit of the government, Soong said.
To further universalize pre-school education, more public kindergartens should be set up under public elementary schools, and registration standards for kindergartens should be liberalized to encourage the private sector to set up kindergartens, according to Chang Chao-hsiung (張昭雄), Soong's running mate.
Regarding plans to upgrade the quality of kindergarten teachers, Chang said that programs focusing on pre-school education should be increased at higher-education institutions to train more qualified teachers.
Soong, Lien and Chen have said they intend to work toward making pre-school part of the nation's compulsory education system, which currently extends for nine years covering six years of elementary education and three years of junior high education.
However, Lien has enunciated several major differences in his approach to education.
For example, Lien said that if elected president, he wants to launch government-funded high school education in three years.
Soong yesterday criticized Lien's plan as being one that 浾ims high but cares nothing about the fundamentals.
浠e are not against this idea, but in order to be practical, we must find out first if the government has the resources needed, Soong said.
Soong said he believes pre-school education is in more urgent need of being standardized than high school education, considering the financial strains of the government.
涆his is not a slogan contest or check-writing competition, Soong said.
Regarding other major issues in his education platform, Soong said he would secure the government's education funding for local governments to try to achieve a more reasonable distribution of education resources.
Soong also said he would like to set up 涃ducation savings accounts that would be good for children from the time they are born until they are 15 years old.
Using these accounts, parents could save up money for their children's education and enjoy preferential interest rates on savings of up to NT$2,000 per month.
To encourage the development of private schools, Soong said students studying in private high schools and vocational schools should be issued education vouchers worth NT$10,000 per year, while those from low-income families should receive vouchers worth N$40,000 per year.
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