Teachers Federation Calls for Education Minister

In addition to the hailstorm of criticism on the Ministry of Education over the National Taiwan University president selection controversy, The National Federation of Teachers Unions, are now questioning the new Education Minister Wu Maw-kuen's moral character and are calling for his resignation.


Outside the Ministry of Education, the National Federation of Teachers Unions details five ethical controversies surrounding Education Minister Wu Maw-kuen. In the short time Wu has been at his post, there has been a whirlwind of media coverage on his shady dealings in the past. These include starting a private company and holding board seats while serving as president of National Dong Hwa University, abusing university-held patents, and other issues.

Minister Wu says he doesn't believe he has any issues. To have this kind of minister; to have this kind of person serving as our education minister -- we can't take it anymore.

The federation says Wu is unfit for the education minister position and should resign immediately. Alluding to government interference in the selection of National Taiwan University's new president, the group also condemned the Tsai administration for its double standard when it comes to personnel. One Kuomintang lawmaker further pointed out that a multitude of Cabinet officials also only declared part-time positions after taking their posts. The ministry cited "illegal part-time position" as the reason it rejected Kuan Chung-ming's appointment at NTU. Like the federation, the lawmaker criticized the government for its double standards. Executive Yuan Spokesperson Hsu Kuo-yung responded.

Some ministers without portfolio were transferred to their posts from [private] schools. They weren't transferred from posts at public schools or to government agencies. They are all civil servants. It is very normal in any country for them to be transferred between government offices.

Hsu says transfers involving government posts or posts at private schools don't count as for-profit organizations and the Cabinet officials in question therefore can't be compared to Kuan. He also maintained that Kuan broke the part-time position law based on legal changes in 2016.