Sat, Aug 07, 2021 page3

• COVID-19: Legislators urge expanding voucher scheme

  • By Chien Hui-ju and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer
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  The next round of government COVID-19 stimulus vouchers should include childcare centers and cram schools, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers said yesterday.

  The Executive Yuan on Thursday released details on the relief plan — which largely resembled its predecessor, the Triple Stimulus Voucher program, which was focused on the boosting food, retail and tourism industries — but it did not include making vouchers payable to kindergartens, childcare centers or cram schools that were hard-hit by level 3 COVID-19 restrictions in effect from May to last week, DPP Legislator Chen Su-yueh (陳素月) told a news conference in Taipei.

  These enterprises should be included as payable to parties in the new voucher program, as many are going out of business and some have already been forced to close, she said.

  

  From left, Democratic Progressive Party legislators Lai Pin-yu, Chen Su-yueh and Huang Kuo-shu hold a news conference at the Legislative Yuan yesterday.

  Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times

  Kindergartens and cram schools are an important part of the economy that provides many jobs, DPP Legislator Huang Kuo-shu (黃國書) said.

  There are 4,000 private kindergartens and 18,000 cram schools in Taiwan, many of which have been closed, but have kept employees on paid leave, he said, adding that bankruptcies in the sector would have consequences for the overall economy.

  Vouchers would help take some economic pressure off parents, who spend about 10 percent of their household income on education, he said.

  Newly unemployed young people who are taking classes in cram schools to prepare to pursue degrees and certifications would also benefit from vouchers, he added.

  After being on unpaid childcare leave amid outbreak restrictions, many parents have little money left to put their children in cram school or childcare centers when they reopen next month, DPP Legislator Lai Pin-yu (賴品妤) said.

  Chang Yu-chuan (張有傳), president of the National Association of Continuing Education of Taiwan, said that most big cram schools have paid their staff full salaries and offered online classes to during the level 3 alert.

  “We hope the Executive Yuan’s new voucher program would include our industry and give it the boost it needs to recover from COVID-19,” he said.

  National Parents Education Volunteers Association chairman Wu Fu-pin (吳福濱) said that many parents are dreading childcare and cram school bills next month.

  “I believe that Taiwanese families would be grateful for a policy that helps the economy and takes the pressure off parents,” Wu said.

  Chang Hao-jan (張浩然), director of the Taipei Supplementary Education Association, said that COVID-19 restrictions have led to serious losses for cram schools.

  “There is much groaning and gnashing of teeth, as 60 percent of our business has to do with elementary-school students who cannot do online learning,” he said.

  “Students have been demanding refunds since May, while our rent, utility and human resource costs keep piling up. I am afraid this will trigger a rash of bankruptcies,” he added.

  Huang Yueh-ying (黃月盈), an official at the National Development Council, said the voucher program is a work in progress and that the lawmakers’ suggestion would be considered.
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