Former Taipei preschool teacher indicted for sexually abusing children

Taipei, Dec. 1 (CNA) A former teacher at a preschool in Taipei has been indicted by the Taipei District Prosecutors Office for sexually abusing children in his care, according to information posted on the official website of the office.

The teacher, identified as Chen Yi-han (陳羿翰), was initially suspended after a report in mid-August from Ping-an Village preschool, operated by the Ministry of National Defense (MND), according to a news release from Taipei City Department of Education on Friday.

He was later dismissed from his post and fined NT$600,000 (NT$18,500), after being found to have mistreated young children in his care, the city department said. Chen was also permanently banned from working in any preschool in Taiwan, it added.

Chen is currently in custody and undergoing judicial investigation, the department said, while Taipei City Councilor Hsu Shu-hua (許淑華) indicated that the caregiver was indicted on Nov. 2 for sexual molestation.

According to the department, its investigation found that two other teachers at the school Chen Kai-ting (陳塏婷) and Liang Wei-chin (梁瑋芹) also "mistreated" young children, without elaborating.

They were each fined NT$400,000, dismissed for four years, and required to complete 12 hours of childcare guidance and discipline training, it said.

As a result, the city department said it fined the preschool director NT$60,000, imposed NT$150,000 fines on those who failed to report, and suspended the school from enrolling new students starting Friday.

On Saturday, Hsu, a member of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, criticized the city government for its slow response to the case, which she claimed involved 25 children at two preschools, four of whom were reportedly subjected to indecent assault.

While an investigation on Aug. 19 revealed Chen Yi-han's improper actions, the Department of Education only suspended him on Aug. 20, without terminating his employment at once, Hsu claimed.

Chen Kai-ting and Liang were not suspended until Sept. 3, with their dismissals finalized only after fines were imposed on Nov. 21, she said.

In response, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) on Saturday urged the MND to terminate its contract with the Deh Yu College of Nursing and Health, which had been commissioned to operate Ping-an Village preschool, within one month.

The MND responded later that same day by pledging to terminate the contract and re-tender the bid.

Chiang emphasized that the city's education department acted swiftly by suspending Chen as soon as the report was received in August and imposed the maximum penalties after confirming the wrongdoing.