Taiwan’s network of public day care centers will be expanded as part of efforts to encourage local couples to have more children, ROC Minister of Education Chiang Wei-ling said Feb. 10.
It has long been an important policy goal for the Ministry of Education to implement inexpensive public day care centers around Taiwan, Chiang said. The MOE plans to increase the current ratio of 3-to-7 between public and private centers to 4-to-6, he added.
According to Chiang, the ministry will assist local governments in setting up nonprofit day care centers, with three already established in Taipei City. In addition, the MOE has allocated more funds for day care services in high-demand areas, he said.
To alleviate the burden on families in which both parents work, the MOE has also rolled out an after-school program for toddlers in public day care centers, Chiang said, adding that last year, the program offered 1,370 centers serving more than 61,000 children.
Under the program, the ministry offers subsidies to children from economically disadvantaged families, with around 20,000 receiving support in 2013.
The MOE also implemented a full-tuition waiver program for children under 5 years in 2011. It is estimated that about 190,000 benefit from the initiative annually.
Chiang said the ministry has other measures in the pipeline to create an environment in which parents receive public-sector assistance in raising children. He urged all sections of society to support the MOE as it strives to build a strong foundation for Taiwan’s future. (DF-JSM)
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