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I'm Cary Chuo.

A national conference on education is held for the first time in sixteen years over the weekend, with a wide range of education-reform-related topics scheduled for discussion. President Ma Ying-jeou pointed out in his opening address that a new blueprint for Taiwan's educational system must be designed to meet the needs of changing times.

The National Education Association's first conference in sixteen years opened on Saturday.

Ten core issues, including educational advancement, were identified by the Association for discussion.

During his address, President Ma Ying-jeou reiterated a need for an educational blueprint that reflects the global and social changes of the past sixteen years.

Ma also said that there is a clear need for educational reform, and thanked both the supporters and critics of the government's educational reform programs over the past two decades.

Citing Liao Kuo-hao as an example, the president said that Taiwan's educational system has definite room for improvement.

Ma called on Education Minister Wu Ching-ji to oversee the integration of daycare resources and resolve the financial issues of community colleges, and expressed hopes that the two-day conference could produce an educational blueprint for the next decade.