September 5-11, 2011
Local Church News
Tsai Ing-wen visits church-operated Sunflower Academy and shares philosophy on education
Reported by Chen Wei-chien
Written by Lydia Ma
On September 1, 2011, presidential candidate and DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen visited Chutang Presbyterian Church’s Sunflower Academy to show concern for student dropouts enrolled at the academy and support the church’s ministry. The visit was also an opportunity for her to get acquainted with local pastors.
The church’s pastor, Rev. Chuang Hsiao-sheng, welcomed Tsai and asked that she direct more government agencies to help these children if she were elected president in the future.
Chutang Presbyterian Church was flooded by Tsai supporters from Changhua area on that day, many of whom had come to get a glimpse of the presidential candidate. After a prayer led by Changhua Presbytery Moderator Rev. Li Chen-chien, Tsai was presented with a commemorative key by presbytery officials, a symbol of hope that she would open up doors of opportunity for disadvantaged students.
Accompanied by Changhua County Magistrate Ong Chin-chu, Chuang gave Tsai a tour of the academy and showed her some of the students’ crafts that were displayed. Throughout the tour, Tsai asked questions about the school and its curriculum.
After the tour, Tsai said that though she wasn’t a Christian, she attended a Presbyterian kindergarten and still remembered the love she experienced there. “In the past 100 years, the PCT has contributed significantly to Taiwanese society. This is especially true and noticeable in remote areas of Taiwan such as Hualien and Taitung.”, she said.
But she also went on to emphasize that, “the government must be the one ultimately responsible for education. There are many bright students and many struggling students. Governments need to change the way they do education – both at the national and local levels.”
Responding in agreement, Chuang underscored that as the world focused on training prodigies, “we must point out that education is a human right.” He hoped the government would reform structural problems prevalent in Taiwan’s educational system soon.
