Dong-Chin Elementary School faces severe teacher shortages

Dong-Chin Elementary School, on Taiwan’s outlying island of Lanyu, has 10 teachers, only 3 of which are fulltime. In order to solve problems of a severe teacher shortages and a high teacher turnover that have adversely affected student’s performances and the school’s administration, the school parents’ association arranged a meeting with officials from Taitung County Government Education Department. The association hoped that the government would properly address the educational rights of children in the township.

Due to the influence of a low birth rate in Taiwan, and a general lack of teaching vacancies in the country, the Ministry of Education has been strictly controlling teacher numbers. A good example was Taitung in 2011, which had a total of 22 extra teachers. However, Dong-Chin Elementary School was unable to secure adequate teacher numbers, with only 50% of its teachers holding a formal teaching license.

Since 2008, formal teachers in Dong-Chin Elementary School have remained consistently at 4 or 5. However, even though the government stipulates a minimum service period of three years, as a result of an inability to adapt to the area or family issues, many teachers request a transfer before the contract ends. The attitude of substitute teachers is often much worse! Teachers working in remote areas often begin preparing to leave just as they get to know the students and get a firm grasp of the job. Previously, one elementary school student changed twelve teachers in just six years! “In the end, it’s the educational rights of students from outlying areas that are being sacrificed”, said school principle Wen Sheng-hsun.

The meeting concluded with three demands: 1-Raise the number of official teachers to above 60% as soon as possible. 2- Stabilize teaching positions by stipulating teachers remain in the position at least two or three years. 3 – Demand Taitung County Government Education Department to officially list Dong-Chin Elementary School as lacking teachers. School inspector Hsu Tien Hsiang-chin, who participated in the meeting, said the opinions of the school and parents’ association would be formally delivered to the relevant education department and receive a reply. However, in response to the demand for a change of policy on teacher shortages in outlying areas, Hsu Tien Hsiang-chin said he had no jurisdiction to personally comment. On the day, due to the county government being in session, the department chief was unable to personally attend.
 

PeoPo 公民新聞

Dong-Chin Elementary School faces severe teacher shortages (by CJ miyowyaw)
URL: http://www.peopo.org/news/95823

(以下是中文對照)

照片

東清國小教師荒目前僅三位正式教師 分配公費生一再跳票東小盼教育處擬出時間表 ( miyowyaw )

有10名教師員額的蘭嶼東清國小，目前僅有3名正式教師。為了解決正式教師嚴重短缺以及流動率過高，造成學生適應問題以及學校行政作業困難，東清國小家長會邀請台東縣教育處相關人員與會，希望政府能夠正視偏鄉學童的受教權。

「少子化」的影響，為了避免正式教師無處去，教育部嚴格控管正式教師缺額，使得全國許多學校都沒有開缺。以去年(100年)台東縣為例，全縣共有22名超額教師，但東清國小並沒有因此受惠，正式教師人數仍不到50%。

東清國小自97年開始，正式教師員額一直維持4到5位，但除了公費生有三年最低服務期限的限制之外，有些正式教師因為適應不良或者家庭因素等考量，到任不 久後便請調離開，更遑論隨時處在異動狀態的代課教師。偏鄉教師往往在快要與學生磨合、快要熟悉學校業務的時候，就要準備離開了。曾有一名東清國小畢業的學 生，小學6年內換了12位班導師。校長溫昇勳說：「最後犧牲的還是偏鄉地區學童的受教權。」

會議最後提出三項訴求：一、儘早補足東清國小正式教師員額至60%以上。二、穩定師資，限定教師在偏鄉至少停留2-3年以上。三、請台東縣教育處首先為東清國小開缺。與會的督學許天祥僅表示，會將學校跟家長們的意見呈上去，等待教育處長裁示。但對於「台東縣教育處的偏鄉教師荒的改善政策」，許天祥以 非自身業務為由，不予回應。當天教育處長因縣議會期而不克前往。
 

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