Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lin Yue-chin (林月琴) today said she plans to propose a bill this session aimed at regulating safety in kindergartens, as experts advised parents on what to look for when choosing a school.
As kindergarten enrollment season begins this month and scandals involving misconduct in schools become more frequent, Lin held a news conference at the legislature this morning with the Taiwan Early Childhood Education Union (TCEU) and the Jing Chuan Child Safety Foundation to discuss kindergarten safety.
Lin said she would propose a bill this legislative session to address illegal conduct in schools by establishing the number of early education specialists required in independent review committees and speeding up the creation of a guidebook for handling inappropriate conduct.
Photo courtesy of Lin Yue-chin's office
The bill would also call for clearer procedures when accessing footage from surveillance cameras to prevent violations, she said.
The foundation has found that the three main kinds of misconduct in kindergartens are corporal punishment by teachers, forcing children to undergo corporal punishment, and verbal abuse or emotional neglect, foundation executive director Hsu Ya-jen (許雅荏) said.
Parents should report any concerns to the kindergarten if they notice changes in their child’s physical appearance, mood or daily habits, or if their child is reluctant to go to school, she said.
When choosing a kindergarten, parents should check that the school is officially registered, has proper fire safety measures, hires qualified staff and has clear communication between teachers and parents, she added.
Parents can check whether kindergarten staff hold valid qualifications or graduated from programs in early education or related fields, TCEU chairwoman Hsu Wen-ching (許文菁) said.
Furthermore, each class should ideally have two teachers, and parents should ensure that the staff-to-children ratio is at least one teacher to every 12 or 15 children aged three and above, or one teacher to every eight children for classes with children under two years of age, she said.
Parents should also check that the fee structure is transparent with no additional charges throughout the semester for extracurricular activities, English classes or books, she added.
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