TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Premier of Executive Yuan announced on Monday (Nov. 6) that a new subsidy program initiated by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Ministry of the Interior (MOI) will be rolling out in February next year. News of the launch was swiftly followed by criticizing voices which drew attention to the government's questioning engagement in potential vote-fraud activities.
In response to these disputed voices, Premier Chen Chien-jen said the main goal of initiating a subsidy program for students lies in the capacity it holds to alleviate economic burdens placed on young people, thereby enabling them to be fully invested in building an aspiring future of their own.
The Director of the Department of Higher Education at the MOE highlighted in an inquiry at the Legislative Yuan yesterday that the subsidy is expected to offer NT＄1,200 to NT＄1,500 per month. Noting the MOE and MOI have undergone a thorough discussion, Director Zhu Jun-zhang affirmed that he will submit the proposal to the Executive Yuan for further examination.
An estimated 260 thousand college students will benefit from the plan as the government foresaw a requirement to secure an additional annual expenditure that ranges from NT＄20 billion and NT＄30 billion.
The Premier stressed in a concluding note that the subsidy program serves as a testament to the government in its effort to prioritize youth welfare; whether it is for students living on or off campus, they all deserve the chance to receive equal amounts of subsidy.
