Facing Low Birthrate, Teachers' Unions Call for Smaller Class Sizes and More Staff for Small Schools
Teachers' unions from 12 Taiwanese cities and counties jointly called on central and local governments to reduce class sizes in large schools to 25 or fewer and increase teacher staffing for small schools, leveraging the declining birthrate as an opportunity for educational reform.
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- 📰 Published: June 10, 2026 at 13:47
- 🔍 Collected: June 10, 2026 at 14:02 (15 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 10, 2026 at 14:03 (0 min after Collected)
(Central News Agency, reporter Chen Zhizhong, Taipei, 10th) Teachers' unions from 12 cities and counties, including Kaohsiung City and Yilan County, issued a joint press release today, calling on the central and local governments to cooperate in reducing class sizes in "large schools" and increasing staffing quotas for "small schools" to implement refined education amid the trend of a declining birthrate.
The 12 teachers' unions pointed out in the joint statement that the declining birthrate presents an opportunity to adjust class sizes and teacher staffing calculations. They called for the full implementation of "reducing numbers in large schools and increasing staffing in small schools" to meet the challenges of increased parental involvement, a growing number of special education students, and the diverse learning requirements of the new curriculum.
The unions stated that overly large class sizes place an excessive burden on teachers for guidance and discipline, making it difficult to address individual student differences. With the decrease in student numbers, there is ample space in school facilities and classrooms. They recommend immediately reducing the current standard of 29 students per elementary school class and 30 per junior high school class down to 25, with a phased goal of reaching 20 students per class.
While some metropolitan areas like Hsinchu are still experiencing population growth, the unions argue that local governments can manage this through early population calculations, total enrollment caps, and distribution restrictions. This should not be used as a reason to delay the nationwide push for smaller class sizes.
In rural and outlying island areas, the decline in student numbers directly impacts teacher staffing. The remaining teachers are forced to teach subjects outside their expertise for long hours and handle tedious administrative work, consequently sacrificing the quality of education for students.
The unions recommend amending the "Staffing Standards" to allow for more flexible staffing quotas for small schools, guaranteeing a minimum number of teachers to ensure schools can offer necessary courses and have personnel to handle administrative duties.
The unions that jointly issued the press release today include: Kaohsiung City Teachers' Union, Pingtung County Education Industry Union, Hualien County School Industry Union, Yilan County Teachers' Union, Keelung City Teachers' Union, Hsinchu County School Industry Union, Hsinchu City Teachers' Union, Miaoli County School Industry Union, Tainan City Education Industry Union, Penghu County Teachers' Union, Kinmen County Teachers' Union, and Lienchiang County Teachers' Union. (Editor: Li Xizhang) 1150610
The 12 teachers' unions pointed out in the joint statement that the declining birthrate presents an opportunity to adjust class sizes and teacher staffing calculations. They called for the full implementation of "reducing numbers in large schools and increasing staffing in small schools" to meet the challenges of increased parental involvement, a growing number of special education students, and the diverse learning requirements of the new curriculum.
The unions stated that overly large class sizes place an excessive burden on teachers for guidance and discipline, making it difficult to address individual student differences. With the decrease in student numbers, there is ample space in school facilities and classrooms. They recommend immediately reducing the current standard of 29 students per elementary school class and 30 per junior high school class down to 25, with a phased goal of reaching 20 students per class.
While some metropolitan areas like Hsinchu are still experiencing population growth, the unions argue that local governments can manage this through early population calculations, total enrollment caps, and distribution restrictions. This should not be used as a reason to delay the nationwide push for smaller class sizes.
In rural and outlying island areas, the decline in student numbers directly impacts teacher staffing. The remaining teachers are forced to teach subjects outside their expertise for long hours and handle tedious administrative work, consequently sacrificing the quality of education for students.
The unions recommend amending the "Staffing Standards" to allow for more flexible staffing quotas for small schools, guaranteeing a minimum number of teachers to ensure schools can offer necessary courses and have personnel to handle administrative duties.
The unions that jointly issued the press release today include: Kaohsiung City Teachers' Union, Pingtung County Education Industry Union, Hualien County School Industry Union, Yilan County Teachers' Union, Keelung City Teachers' Union, Hsinchu County School Industry Union, Hsinchu City Teachers' Union, Miaoli County School Industry Union, Tainan City Education Industry Union, Penghu County Teachers' Union, Kinmen County Teachers' Union, and Lienchiang County Teachers' Union. (Editor: Li Xizhang) 1150610
FAQ
Who is behind this news?
Teachers' unions from 12 cities and counties in Taiwan, including Kaohsiung and Yilan.
What are the main demands?
Reduce class sizes in large schools to 25 or fewer and increase teacher staffing for small schools.
How does the low birthrate affect schools?
It leads to teacher staffing cuts, forcing remaining teachers to handle non-specialist subjects and more admin work.