Taiwan's Education Ministry reforms school affairs meetings for 'warm communication, professional division'

Taiwan's Ministry of Education is set to reform the school affairs meeting system, shifting its focus towards "warm communication and professional division." This initiative seeks to address issues such as an overwhelming caseload and high pressure on frontline teachers that have emerged since the Teacher Act was amended in 2019.

The revised regulations, completed in January, aim to create a more proportionate system for handling teacher dismissals, non-renewals, suspensions, or retirements. Key changes include establishing a preliminary mechanism for parent-teacher-student communication to identify and address teaching-related issues early on. Anonymous reporting will be eliminated, and a new process will require a committee, including external investigators, teachers, and parents, to vote on whether to accept a complaint.

To alleviate the burden on school affairs meetings, a case-division mechanism will be implemented. Matters related to teacher performance evaluations will be returned to the standard evaluation process, rather than being automatically sent for investigation by school affairs meetings. This aims to ensure that cases are handled by the most appropriate procedures.

Alongside the systemic reforms, the ministry will strengthen support for teachers. This includes developing a legal assistance mechanism, enhancing campus occupational safety, deepening parental education and cooperation, and safeguarding teachers' rights to reasonable guidance and discipline. The goal is to enable teachers to focus on their work with greater peace of mind.

The ministry will collaborate with local governments to build a teacher support network that emphasizes professionalism, fairness, and efficiency. By reducing administrative burdens and ensuring appropriate handling of school-related incidents, the reforms intend to foster mutual trust and a positive environment among teachers, students, and parents, while upholding both student educational rights and teacher professional dignity.