DPP Taipei mayoral candidate Puma Shen (沈伯洋) is proposing smaller classes and
reduced teacher workload in the city's schools.

Shen outlined four other educational priorities yesterday: reducing teacher
workload, improving parent-teacher relations, strengthening preschool
education and expanding special education support.

He proposed reducing elementary school classes in Taipei to 24 pupils and
junior high classes to 25 by the 2028-2029 academic year while maintaining
teacher numbers as enrollment falls.

Shen has advocated offering parents the option of contributing to better
quality school lunches while also increasing the government's share of lunch
funding to account for inflation.

His opponent, Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安), held the line on the current
free-lunch program.

Chiang said the existing program reduces the financial burden on families
and prevents children from feeling differences in household income at the
dining table.

CNA_JvW