Education Minister Wu Se-hwa says his ministry has not yet pressed charges against students who broke into the ministry building.
Last week 33 people, including 24 students and 3 journalists, were detained after they broke into the education ministry building. The protestors were demonstrating against revised high school curriculum guidelines, which they say are China-centric and illegal.
Earlier this year, an administrative court ruled that the adjustment of high school curriculum guidelines violated the law because it did not follow due process. Opponents called on the education ministry to retract the controversial textbook guidelines, but the ministry refused, saying that old textbooks can still be used and the contents considered controversial will not appear in national exams.
After the arrests of the 33 people, the education minister said in a press conference that he will press charges against them. But in an interview with RTI on Saturday, Wu said that the ministry actually has not yet taken legal action. He also said the ministry has always hoped to resolve the dispute outside of court. Wu said he does not want students to do something out of line without knowing what they are doing.
In response to calls for his resignation, Wu said stepping down would be the easiest way out. But he said he hopes that the dispute over the curriculum guidelines can be discussed within the framework of education.
High school students around Taiwan have been staging demonstrations against the curriculum guideline changes. Many are demanding that the education minister take responsibility for a student leader who killed himself in an apparent protest.