Four Tainan Residents Named National Lifelong Learning Role Models

Tainan achieved a 100% success rate in Taiwan’s national selection of lifelong learning role models, with all four nominees receiving awards.

Wu Qiongtao, Qiu Jinxiu and Tsai Shufei each won an excellence award in the teaching category. Kao Fang-yu received an excellence award in the learner category. The four will be recognized on Oct. 17 at the National Taiwan Science Education Center.

Wu has spent 20 years developing the “Damiaoxingxue” program at Tainan Community University. She has opened 67 everyday yoga courses and taught more than 1,600 student attendances. She also leads the Taijiang Greenway Water Environment Guardians volunteer team, where she has accumulated 598 hours of service.

Qiu has worked at the Family Education Center for more than 29 years. Her teaching has reached schools, communities and judicial institutions. She has supported high-risk families through an individualized parenting education program and has served as an instructor at a juvenile detention center for 13 consecutive years.

Tsai has devoted 28 years to sign-language teaching and 42 years to public service. She has worked as a designated interpreter at televised election forums and courts, and created a one-handed gesture communication method for stroke survivors. In the past five years, all of her students who took the certification exam for local-language teaching support staff passed. Kao has studied sign language for more than 15 years and interprets in legal, medical, educational and council settings to improve access to information for deaf people.