According to unconfirmed rumors from government units, Kuan Bi-ling seems likely to be entrusted with the “hot potato” of the Minister of Education position. If the DPP really intends to appoint Kuan Bi-ling as Minister of Education, it would be the DPP’s most malicious joke and would expose the DPP’s tricks in manipulating the public.
First, let’s look at Kuan Bi-ling’s education:
- Fengyuan Elementary School, Taichung County
- Fengyuan Junior High School, Taichung County
- Provincial Taichung Girls’ Senior High School
- Bachelor of Laws, Department of Public Administration, National Chung Hsing University Law and Commerce College (now National Taipei University)
- Master of Laws, Department of Public Administration, National Chung Hsing University Law and Commerce College (now National Taipei University)
- Ph.D. in Political Science, National Taiwan University
- Executive Education, Senior Executives in National & International Security, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
Now let’s look at Kuan Bi-ling’s experience:
- Director, Bureau of Cultural Affairs, Kaohsiung City Government
- Director, Information Office, Kaohsiung City Government
- Member of the 8th, 10th, 12th, 15th, and 16th Central Executive Committees of the DPP
- Director, Policy Center, DPP Central Party Headquarters
- Member of the 14th Central Standing Committee of the DPP (Ex-officio member during the 6th session of the 7th Legislative Yuan)
- Chief Secretary, DPP Caucus, 6th session of the 7th Legislative Yuan
- Member of the 15th and 16th Central Standing Committees of the DPP
- Associate Professor, Department of Public Administration and Policy, National Taipei University
- Legislator for the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th terms
Basically, from the above education and experience, one can find that Kuan Bi-ling, known as “Mother Kuan,” is not a person with deep research in academia and education. Her highest academic position is only Associate Professor, which indicates that her research energy in her 60s is not high. Furthermore, she was an associate professor at her alma mater—in academic circles, this usually represents a type of person with good interpersonal relationships who gradually manages their position through time and connections. Not to mention that she has been engaged in political activities since the 90s and has served multiple consecutive terms as a legislator; it is hard to see how she has any qualification to serve as Minister of Education and manage our country’s academic circles.
Even Wu Maw-kuen, the shortest-lived Minister of Education in the history of the Republic of China, was at least a Ph.D. from abroad with high international academic standing, having received multiple international awards, holding academician status, and even serving as a director and president for many years. There was no controversy regarding Wu Maw-kuen’s academic background for the position of Minister of Education; the controversy lay in his private application for a US patent using Dong Hwa University’s property.
We cannot help but ask, is the DPP truly unable to find talent now?
If Mother Kuan Bi-ling eventually becomes the DPP-appointed Minister of Education, there is probably only one reason: her surname is Kuan. Is there any joke more malicious than this, deliberately manipulated like a family feud drama between “Kuan vs. Kuan”? By then, I’ve even thought of the internet catchphrase for everyone: “Born of the same Kuan, why be so eager to remove each other?” (A pun on a famous poem about brothers).
If the DPP and Tsai Ing-wen still intend to rely on such a laughable choice for Minister of Education to continue the political interference against National Taiwan University’s principal Kuan Chung-min and think the Taiwanese public will foolishly accept it, they are certainly treating all Taiwanese people as idiots.
Chen Shui-bian of the DPP previously brought in Lee Yuan-tseh to implement an education reform that set Taiwan back 30 years. This shadow has not yet vanished from people’s hearts. What does Tsai Ing-wen of the DPP intend to do to young students now?
Finally, I must state that the news of Kuan Bi-ling being sought as Minister of Education is purely media speculation. Executive Yuan spokesperson Hsu Kuo-yung (nicknamed “Gupo Yong”) has not said yes or no. Therefore, this article only uses the hypothetical situation of “If Kuan Bi-ling takes over as Minister of Education” for analysis and does not necessarily correspond to the real situation (if the DPP still has some wisdom).