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.
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.
A strong continental cold air mass is to bring pollutants to Taiwan from tomorrow, the Ministry of Environment said today, as it issued an “orange” air quality alert for most of the country. All of Taiwan except for Hualien and Taitung counties is to be under an “orange” air quality alert tomorrow, indicating air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. In China, areas from Shandong to Shanghai have been enveloped in haze since Saturday, the ministry said in a news release. Yesterday, hourly concentrations of PM2.5 in these areas ranged from 65 to 160 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m³), and pollutants were
Taiwan’s armed forces have established response protocols for a wide range of sudden contingencies, including the “Wan Chun Plan” to protect the head of state, the Ministry of Defense (MND) said today. After US President Donald Trump on Saturday launched a series of airstrikes in Venezuela and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, concerns have been raised as to whether China would launch a similar “decapitation strike” on Taiwan. The armed forces regularly coordinate with relevant agencies and practice drills to ensure preparedness for a wide range of scenarios, Vice Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) told reporters before a
EVA Airways on Saturday said that it had suspended a pilot and opened an investigation after he allegedly lost his temper and punched the first officer several times as their plane was taxiing before takeoff at Los Angeles International Airport. According to a report published on Thursday by The Reporter, the incident occurred after the flight’s Malaysian first officer tried to warn the Taiwanese pilot, surnamed Wen (文), that he was taxiing faster than the speed limit of 30 knots (55.6kph). After alerting the pilot several times without response, the first officer manually applied the brakes in accordance with standard operating
NOT AN OPENING: Trump’s violation of international law does not affect China’s consideration in attacking Taiwan; Beijing lacks capability, not precedent, an official said Taiwanese officials see the US’ capture of the president of Venezuela as a powerful deterrent to Beijing’s aggression and a timely reminder of the US’ ability to defeat militaries equipped with Chinese-made weapons. The strikes that toppled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro signaled to authoritarian leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), US President Donald Trump’s willingness to use military might for international affairs core to US interests, one senior official in Taipei’s security circle said. That reassured Taiwan, the person said. Taipei has also dismissed the idea that Trump’s apparent violation of international law could embolden Beijing, said the official, who was not
RSS