TAIPEI (TVBS News)— A student group urged the protection of teachers' "right to disconnect" during a press conference on Wednesday (Feb. 26), emphasizing the need for work-life balance to enhance teaching quality.
While technological advancements have brought convenience to education, they have also added stress, as teachers often receive calls and messages from parents and students after hours, affecting their personal lives.
Hubert Fu (傅瀚柏), a sophomore at Taipei Municipal Chien Kuo High School (建國中學) and convener of the student group Pencil Blueprint (鉛筆藍圖) stated that teachers should have the right not to respond to calls or messages after work hours, allowing them to spend time with their families.
Meanwhile, Li Hui-lan (李惠蘭), chairperson of the Taipei School Education Union (台北教育工會), noted that teachers' official working hours are typically from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Still, they often arrive early or leave late, necessitating a chance to breathe.
Chung Chun-wei (鍾君偉), a parent representative from the Action Alliance on Basic Education (國教行動聯盟), emphasized that many countries have already safeguarded this right, which has not only maintained teaching quality but also enabled teachers to focus more on their work.
Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) Legislator Ko Ju-chun (葛如鈞) echoed Chung's view, adding that France was the first to introduce the "right to disconnect" law in 2016, followed by over 20 countries, including Germany, Italy, and Belgium.
