Ko Chih-en pledges to rebuild quality education with teachers' backing

In the upcoming local elections in Kaohsiung City, Kuomintang (KMT) Kaohsiung mayoral candidate Ko Chih-en attended an event today hosted by the Kaohsiung Teachers' Union, where she received enthusiastic support from union representatives. This move not only highlights Ko's proactive stance on educational issues but also demonstrates her influence among local voters. During the event, union representatives centered their theme on "education as the foundation," calling on the city government to prioritize teacher training and the teaching environment, while expressing high expectations for Ko. When taking questions from the media, Ko reiterated that if given the opportunity to serve as mayor, she would base her administration on educational professionalism to build a higher-quality and more robust teaching and learning environment, pledging to incorporate teacher welfare, curriculum reform, and campus safety into her core governance priorities.

Since 2016, Ko Chih-en has consistently focused on educational issues as a core agenda, having previously promoted multiple school facility upgrades and teacher training programs during her tenure as a Kaohsiung City councilor. Her educational philosophy advocates for being "student-centered and teacher-focused," emphasizing the enhancement of teachers' professional development and remuneration to attract top talent to the education sector. Her attendance at the teachers' union event serves as a concrete manifestation of putting her educational policies into practical governance. Ko also mentioned that during her past administrative duties, she coordinated between the Education Bureau and schools to promote innovative programs such as "campus greening" and "smart classrooms," and she hopes to further expand these successful cases during a future mayoral term.

The Kaohsiung Teachers' Union has long been a key participant in local educational policy, boasting tens of thousands of teacher members. Issues of concern to the union include salary adjustments, allocation of teaching resources, teacher training, and campus safety. Ko's endorsement by the union indicates that her stance in the field of education has won the recognition of professional groups. Union representatives pointed out that Ko's commitment to optimizing the teaching environment, if implemented, will have a positive impact on teachers' job satisfaction and students' learning outcomes. This move may also bring greater policy continuity to Kaohsiung's educational system, reducing instructional instability caused by administrative turnover.

From a policy perspective, if elected, Ko is expected to promote a "Teacher Professional Development Fund" and a "School Hardware Renewal Program," while strengthening cooperation with local enterprises to provide internship and employment-oriented courses. In addition, she stated that she will prioritize "campus safety" and "mental health" issues by establishing a city-wide psychological counseling network for teachers and promoting campus violence and bullying prevention measures. If successfully coordinated with the Education Bureau and schools at all levels, these initiatives are expected to enhance teaching quality in the short term and boost Kaohsiung's overall educational competitiveness in the long term.

In Taiwan's local political landscape, educational issues are often a focal point of voter attention. Ko's statements at this event serve both as a response to the teachers' group and as a strategy to secure leadership over educational policy within the KMT. Securing sufficient support in the election will help the KMT recapture the mayoral seat in Kaohsiung and provide a reference point for national educational reform. The teachers' union's support may also encourage more educators to join Ko's team, forming a powerful local political resource. Observing the practical implementation and effectiveness of her educational policies in the future will become a crucial indicator for evaluating the direction of Kaohsiung's educational development.