The Ministry of Education is to offer subsidies to civic groups, and public and private universities as a part of a program to link family education with outdoor activities.
The subsidies would allow groups and universities to host day-long family outdoor education events with family education making up at least one-third of the event.
Department for Lifelong Education Director-General Yang Ya-ting (楊雅婷) said that civic groups could receive 50 percent subsidies for hiring staff, material costs, venue and equipment rental fees, food expenditure and insurance.
Photo: Lin Hsiao-yun, Taipei Times
The events should include and prioritize individuals in greater need of family education services, such as those who are economically disadvantaged, physically or mentally challenged, or those whose ethnic group is in need of assistance, Yang said.
Each project would receive a maximum subsidy of NT$30,000, with participants being capped at 20 to 30 people, she said, adding that the application deadline is tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the ministry’s K-12 Education Administration said that it has had 159 kindergartens participate in its trial counseling program for inclusive education since 2020.
The K-12 Administration said its program aims to implement the spirit of the UN’s Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities — allowing those who are physically or mentally challenged to enjoy equal rights to education.
To achieve such a goal, kindergartens or schools would need to have inclusive education knowledge, such as introducing gross motor skills development activities, stepped-up interaction between parents and teachers, and other means so that every facet of an Individualized Educational Program becomes routine, it said.
The head of Taipei’s nonprofit Yung Chien Kindergarten, Lin Yi-hung (林意紅), said gross motor skill development would reduce the risk of pushing and shoving, and that successful activities allow children with special needs to become more coordinated and confident about their studies.
Nangang Kindergarten principal Yang Chi-min (楊繼敏) touted parent-teacher activities so parents can observe and participate in their child’s education, making parents the most important partners of teachers.
A NT$39 receipt for two bottles of tea at a FamilyMart was among the NT$10 million (US $312,969) special prize winners in the January-February uniform invoice lottery. FamilyMart said that two NT$10 million-winning receipts were issued at its stores, as well as two NT$2 million grand prizes and three NT$200,000 first prizes. The two NT$10 million receipts were issued at stores in Pingtung County and Yilan County’s Dongshan Township (冬山). One winner spent just NT$39 on two bottles of tea, while another spent NT$80 on water, tea and coffee, the company said. Meanwhile, 7-Eleven reported three NT$10 million winners — in New Taipei
Considering that most countries issue more than five denominations of banknotes, the central bank has decided to redesign all five denominations, the bank said as it prepares for the first major overhaul of the banknotes in more than 24 years. Central bank Governor Yang Chin-lung (楊金龍) is expected to report to the Legislative Yuan today on the bank’s operations and the redesign’s progress. The bank in a report sent to the legislature ahead of today’s meeting said it had commissioned a survey on the public’s preferences. Survey results showed that NT$100 and NT$1,000 banknotes are the most commonly used, while NT$200 and NT$2,000
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday reported the first case of a new COVID-19 subvariant — BA.3.2 — in a 10-year-old Singaporean girl who had a fever upon arrival in Taiwan and tested positive for the disease. The girl left Taiwan on March 20 and the case did not have a direct impact on the local community, it said. The WHO added the BA.3.2 strain to its list of Variants Under Monitoring in December last year, but this was the first imported case of the COVID-19 variant in Taiwan, CDC Deputy Director-General Lin Ming-cheng (林明誠) said. The girl arrived in Taiwan on
ANNUAL EVENT: Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in Daan Park, with an event zone operating from 10am to 6pm This year’s Taipei Floral Picnic is to be held at Daan Park today and tomorrow, featuring an exclusive Pokemon Go event, a themed food market, a coffee rave picnic area and stage performances, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said yesterday. Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in the park as attractions, with an exclusive event zone operating from 10am to 6pm, it said. Participants who complete designated tasks on-site would have a chance to receive limited-edition souvenirs, it added. People could also try the newly launched game Pokemon Pokopia in the trial area, the department said. Three PokeStops are