Taiwan has shut down schools amid a COVID-19 outbreak, leaving working parents nationwide under heavy pressure. The education ministry is hoping to give these parents a bit of a break by airing special kids’ programming during the afternoon.
Until recently, Taiwan’s working parents could think of COVID-19 as something that didn’t affect them much. But a recent surge in case numbers here has shuttered Taiwan’s schools and many offices, too.
What’s long since become the new normal elsewhere is now something Taiwan’s parents are going to have to get used to, at least for a few weeks. They’ll have to work from home while also looking after their kids.
It’s only been like this for a few days, and already, some parents say the stress of it all is starting to get to them.
The education ministry hopes to help out. It has requisitioned one of Taiwan’s public TV channels from 1:30pm to 4:30pm each afternoon, and it has scheduled special programs with educational value.
The programs are divided into time-blocks based on the age of their target audience, ensuring that everyone from kindergarteners to high school students has something to watch. Hopefully, the shows will distract the kids long enough to give parents a breather.