The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday denied a media report’s contention that KMT Secretary-General King Pu-tsung (金溥聰) instructed the Ministry of Education (MOE) to reject the Taipei County Government’s plan to implement extra English classes at elementary schools.
The county government plans to add three English classes each week for elementary-school students starting in September, raising students’ interest in English through a creative curriculum, such as teaching English songs or watching videos.
The MOE rejected the plan on Thursday, and a report in the Chinese-language newspaper the China Times said the ministry decided to reject the plan after getting a call from King.
Speaking in the legislature yesterday, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers lashed out at King.
“One telephone call from King and it changes everything. It is almost as if King is both the premier and the education minister, all at once. Nothing is done according to proper procedure,” DPP Legislator Wong Chin-chu (翁金珠) said.
The allegations against King are similar to those from earlier this year when the Environmental Protection Administration reversed a controversial proposed regulation on smokers after reportedly getting a phone call from King.
DPP Legislator Yeh Yi-jin (葉宜津) said there needed to be a clear division between party and state.
“It seems that the [KMT] is now leading government and governing this country,” Yeh said. “If this is how their policy decisions are made, the KMT caucus in the legislature might as well close down.”
Dismissing the China Times report, KMT Spokesman Su Jun-pin (蘇俊賓) said at a separate setting yesterday that a group of teachers from the Republic of China Teachers Association visited King on Wednesday to express their opposition, saying that increasing English classes violated national elementary school curriculum guidelines.
“The secretary-general accepted the group’s petition and discussed the issue with them. However, he never called MOE officials or gave any instructions,” he said.
The ministry made the decision and informed King about its plan afterward, he said.
Minister of Education Wu Ching-chi (吳清基) also denied that the MOE’s rejection was a result of King’s intervention.
Speaking at the ministry, Wu said the ministry decided to reject the plan because the county government “crossed the curriculum red line.”
Wu said that although he gives credit to Taipei County Commissioner Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋) for his determination to improve the county’s English education, the teaching hours for English in the plan exceeded those stipulated in curriculum guidelines.
“We did call the secretary-general, but only after we had reached a decision,” Wu said. “The ministry’s stance has been consistent. That is, the county government must respect parents’ rights while the plan should conform to the curriculum guidelines.”
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