Keelung preschool license revoked over child abuse case

Taipei, July 8 (CNA) The Keelung City government on Wednesday revoked the license of a local preschool over a child abuse case, with the person in charge of the school fined a total of NT$840,000 (US$26,220).

A city government review committee concluded in the second stage of its administrative investigation that the preschool had committed serious violations of the Preschool Educators' Act involving multiple staff members, the city's Secretary-General Hsieh Hsiao-kun (謝孝昆) said at a news conference.

• Keelung to revoke preschool's license over child abuse case

The person in charge of the preschool, Lin Hsien-chang (林賢章), was fined NT$600,000 for child abuse and NT$150,000 for providing educare services without the required qualifications, Hsieh said.

Combined with fines imposed during the first stage of the investigation -- NT$60,000 as the person in charge of the preschool and NT$30,000 for failing to report suspected child abuse as required by law -- Lin was fined a total of NT$840,000.

Two additional childcare workers, Yang Li-yu (楊麗玉) and Huang Shu-fang (黃淑芳), were also found to have committed serious child abuse. Each was fined NT$400,000 and permanently banned from working in early childhood education, Hsieh said.

Two other educators were fined NT$60,000 each for less serious incidents of child mistreatment, he added.

The city government launched an administrative investigation and filed a criminal complaint last week after several children were found with bruises allegedly caused by abuse at the preschool.

During the first stage of the investigation, authorities found two other educators, Lin Chia-ching (林佳靜) and Liu Ke-chieh (劉可婕), in violation of the Preschool Educators' Act. Both were fined NT$400,000 and permanently banned from working in early childhood education.

Following public criticism that the initial penalties were too lenient, Keelung Mayor Hsieh Kuo-liang (謝國樑) said Monday that the investigation would proceed in two stages, with the city conducting a comprehensive review of surveillance footage before deciding whether to revoke the preschool's license.

Meanwhile, prosecutors on Tuesday granted bail to six suspects after questioning them. Lin Hsien-chang, his wife -- the preschool's principal -- and Lin Chia-ching were each released on NT$200,000 bail, while Liu, Yang and Huang were each released on NT$100,000 bail.

All six have also been barred from leaving Taiwan pending further investigation.