The Taipei City Department of Education has begun publicly listing the names of preschool teachers banned from the profession, along with the schools where they worked, in response to a surge in child abuse cases.
The department announced on Thursday that the names and associated schools of debarred teachers are now accessible on a special section of its website. This initiative aims to enhance the protection of young children in Taipei.
The list features teachers who have been prohibited from working due to allegations of child abuse. The department stated that both the teachers’ names and the schools they were employed at during the time of the allegations are being published.
As of Thursday, 22 teachers have been included on the list. Among them is Mao Chun-shen, who was indicted in August last year for sexually abusing six children. The Taipei District Court sentenced him to 28 years in prison last Friday.
Mao, 30, first faced complaints in June 2022 but continued teaching at Taipei Piramide School, which his mother owned, until his arrest in July last year.
Following public criticism of the city government’s handling of the situation, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an issued an apology on July 17 to the affected children and their parents. He also vowed to enhance the city’s policies and procedures.
The Department of Education said on Thursday that the city government would strengthen its inspection mechanisms to improve the safety of preschool children. It also urged parents to use its reporting system if they suspect their children are being abused.