High-school students yesterday demonstrated in support of students’ rights outside a meeting to assess Taiwan’s progress in implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
The review of the government’s CRC report, conducted every five years in accordance with the Implementation Act of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (兒童權利公約施行法), was held yesterday in Taipei.
Although not an official signatory to the convention, as it is not a UN member, Taiwan adopted the convention in 2014 and promulgated the act to pledge its commitment to the goals of the accord.
Photo: Chen Chia-yi, Taipei Times
A panel of five experts is meeting at the Taipei International Convention Center until Friday to review progress since the first report, and to review proposed recommendations for the next five years.
Students gathered in front of the center to call attention to “unreasonable” school regulations and norms that infringe on students’ rights.
They cited teachers measuring students’ bangs with a ruler, even though hairstyle rules were repealed 17 years ago.
The Ministry of Education in recent years eased dress regulations and mandatory morning study hall, Taiwan Youth Association for Democracy deputy director Ho Wei-tzu (何蔚慈) said.
However, schools have been slow to change, and many are operating in defiance of ministry rules, he said.
While reporting mechanisms have been updated to allow students to report contraventions, Ho said that the ministry should not wait until it receives a complaint before acting.
Instead, it should be regularly and randomly inspecting schools to ensure compliance, he added.
Authorities should check to make sure student complaints are addressed to make sure they are not left to face the situation alone, he said.
Yesterday’s demonstration was entirely student-initiated and led, Ho said, adding that they would make a presentation to the panel.
Kevin Huang (黃冠凱), head of the student council at the Affiliated Senior High School of National Taiwan Normal University, criticized a tendency among school administrators to ignore student views.
As the representative of a student organization, Huang said he has attended many school meetings at various levels, but it is difficult for students to be heard.
For example, last year the council proposed allowing students to eat lunch off campus, but the idea was rejected in a vote dominated by school administrators, he said.
The right of children to participate in public affairs is protected under the CRC, he said, urging school administrators to listen to students’ views and respect their rights.
The Ministry of Education’s Department of Student Affairs and Special Education Director Wu Lin-hui (吳林輝) accepted a petition from the students, saying he would convey their sentiments to teachers and school administrators.
He said he recognizes their demands, but added that ministry policies are already drafted according to their demands, and following other advanced nations.
Ministry regulations are unevenly adopted by schools, Wu said, urging administrators to update their policies.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
RSS