Amid nationwide teacher shortages, elementary and junior-high schools across Taiwan have managed to get through the first month of the school year relatively smoothly. However, many schools are seeing the first waves of resignations from substitute teachers they painstakingly recruited over the summer, as some come to realize the demanding nature of the profession. Schools now have to recruit new substitute teachers to fill vacancies after this month. This turmoil is likely to remain a persistent nightmare for many schools throughout this academic year. Two things are worth celebrating. One, the Ministry of Education is expected to announce its plan to improve school affairs committee procedures before the Double Ten National Day, and has guaranteed that teachers would feel a tangible impact. Over the past two to three years, school affairs committees have had a serious chilling effect in the education field. Teachers, fearing frivolous complaints or lawsuits, have resorted to defensive teaching methods. This reluctance to discipline students has led to more chaos in classrooms, and contributed to waves of retirements and resignations. The ministry’s reforms must genuinely protect teachers’ rights if they are to curb the culture of frivolous complaints, create a more supportive educational environment and encourage teachers to continue working in the field.
Second, a growing number of schools are introducing policies that require parents to respect teachers’ right to disconnect, allowing them to properly rest after work. Since the advent of messaging apps, teachers’ work have been viewed as a responsibility-based system, requiring them to be available at all hours and respond to parents’ questions or needs. Teachers even face complaints for delayed replies. This has placed teachers under constant pressure. That some schools are willing to take responsibility and establish rules protecting teachers’ right to “go offline” — allowing them to switch off after work without worrying about repercussions — is another positive step toward creating a more friendly educational environment. If the government and the ministry place greater emphasis on protecting the rights and interests of teachers, call on parents to respect educators’ right to disconnect after work and institutionalize regular salary increases for teachers, Taiwan’s educational environment would improve, and ultimately, it would be the next generation that benefits from it. Lee Chi-fu is a teacher. Translated by Kyra Gustavsen