More than half of confirmed teacher misconduct cases causing severe student injury resulted in only minor penalties, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) reported Monday. Corporal punishment remains banned in Taiwanese schools, yet teacher misconduct continues, exposing weaknesses in enforcement and accountability systems.
The NHRC urged the Ministry of Education to strengthen procedures for handling unfit teachers, aligning policies with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Amendments to the Teachers’ Act in 2020 defined “unfit” teachers and clarified that extreme misconduct could trigger dismissal and future employment bans.
Before the amendments, only 40 percent of corporal punishment cases received investigations. After the changes, 65 percent were investigated. Further revisions last year raised investigations to nearly 80 percent during the past academic year. Despite improvements, 12.27 percent of cases still resulted in no punishment or a verbal warning.
Among violations of Article 14-1-10 of the Teachers’ Act, which prohibits corporal punishment or bullying causing serious injury, more than half received light penalties.
Overall, 69 percent of 823 confirmed incidents ended with reprimands, verbal warnings, or no punishment at all. Control Yuan member Yeh Ta-hua noted low reporting to social welfare agencies reflects limited awareness of children’s rights among educators.
She also highlighted confusion over reporting channels, as some teachers are unsure whether to alert campus safety offices or social welfare authorities. Yeh stressed that narrow legal definitions often guide investigations and fail to prioritize students’ best interests. She recommended revising the Teachers’ Act and the Educational Fundamental Act to align with international child protection standards.
Yeh also suggested improving dismissal rules to prevent excessive leniency and simplify enforcement procedures. The NHRC report underscores the need for stricter enforcement and clearer guidelines to protect students from teacher misconduct.
