Premier Mao Chi-kuo on Thursday called for a law to ensure the neutrality of education.
Mao made the comments in a Cabinet meeting in response to a dispute over a new high school history curriculum. Protestors, mainly high school students, have called the new curriculum China-centric and illegal. They demonstrated in front of the education ministry for days.
The new high school curriculum went into effect on August 1. In February an administrative court ruled that the revised curriculum violated the law because the revision did not follow proper procedures. Protestors have demanded that the education ministry retract the curriculum, but the ministry has refused, saying that schools can choose between the old and the revised curriculum. On Tuesday the legislature suggested that the education ministry immediately begin to review the new curriculum.
In response, Premier Mao Chi-kuo said the dispute over the curriculum shows that different generations have different points of view. He also said the education ministry should review the curriculum and ensure that committee members are professional and credible.
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Chairman of Taiwan’s People First Party (PFP), James Soong, announced on Thursday that he will run in the presidential election next January. The PFP is a smaller party in the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) led Pan-Blue Coalition.
Soong said he is running because Taiwan needs a trustworthy government. He said while the two major parties -- the KMT and the Democratic Progressive Party -- are calling for unity within their parties, the PFP will strive to forge a consensus across party lines.
This will be Soong’s third presidential bid. He ran unsuccessfully in 2000 as an independent and again in 2012 as PFP chairman.
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The top government watchdog, the Control Yuan, on Tuesday voted to impeach Tainan Mayor William Lai for his failure to attend Tainan City Council meetings. However, it remains unclear what disciplinary measures he faces. The harshest punishment he could face would be to have his position revoked.
Lai has said he will not attend any of the city council’s meetings until vote-buying allegations against Council Speaker Lee Chuan-chiao have been addressed through the judicial system. Lee was indicted on vote-buying charges in early April, but was released on NT$15 million (US$473,190) bail by the court.
In response to the impeachment, Lai said that the dispute is a political case, and the Control Yuan does not have the right to intervene in local government affairs. He also said the Control Yuan's action is unconstitutional and smacks of partisan politics.