Education Minister Wu Se-hwa has urged protestors to use dialogue to resolve conflict over new guidelines for Taiwan’s high school history curriculum.
Critics have called the new guidelines China-centric, and the new guidelines have sparked protests.
On Friday, Wu addressed demonstrators gathered outside the education ministry after a night of protests. Wu called for protestors to meet with officials and history teachers in order to discuss differences of opinion. Wu also told protestors that beginning Saturday, the education ministry will approve the use of both the old and the new curricula.
Wu called for students to behave rationally, and said that the ministry will immediately correct any mistakes or inappropriate content that may turn up during discussions. However, a number of students interrupted Wu, calling for him to step down and chanting that talks had broken down.
Meanwhile, Premier Mao Chi-kuo expressed his sadness at the suicide of one of the protest movement’s leaders. Lin Kuan-hwa was found dead Thursday after allegedly inhaling fumes from burning charcoal.
Mao said that Legislature President Wang Jin-pyng held a consultation with ruling and opposition lawmakers about whether to call a meeting of the legislature. The legislature is now in recess.
Mao said that if necessary, he will ask the education ministry to present a report on its history curriculum to the legislature.