Ko Chih-en

Ko Chih-en (Chinese: 柯志恩; pinyin: Kē Zhì'ēn; born 29 April 1962) is a Taiwanese educator and politician.

Ko Chih-en
柯志恩
Member of the Legislative Yuan
In office
1 February 2016  31 January 2020
ConstituencyRepublic of China
Personal details
Born (1962-04-29) 29 April 1962
Pingtung County, Taiwan
NationalityRepublic of China
Political partyKuomintang
SpouseHung De-cheng
ChildrenHung Fu (son)
Hung Chun (daughter)
ParentKo Wen-fu (father)
EducationDoctorate
Alma materNational Chengchi University
Michigan State University
University of Southern California
Occupationpolitician, professor
Professioneducator

Early life and career

Ko's father Ko Wen-fu served as magistrate of Pingtung County between 1973 and 1981.[1] Ko Chih-en was born in 1962, and attended National Chengchi University, earning a bachelor's degree in education. She then obtained a master of education degree from Michigan State University and a doctorate in educational psychology at University of Southern California, both in the United States. Subsequently, Ko joined the faculty of Tamkang University.[2] In 2008, she was named dean of student affairs at Tamkang.[3]

Political career

In November 2015, Ko was placed second on the Kuomintang party list, immediately following longtime legislator Wang Jin-pyng,[4] regarded as part of the safe list, ensuring electoral victory.[5][6] She arrived at the Legislative Yuan to take office on 1 February 2016, with a group of Tamkang students.[7] Shortly after Ko was seated, the Kuomintang asked her to open an office in Pingtung County.[8] She served as convener of the legislative education committee between February 2017 and March 2018,[9][10] later leading the KMT's women's department.[11] In May 2017, Ko joined the Renewable Power Promotion Alliance founded by Mary Chen.[12]

As a legislator, Ko took an interest in education,[13] LGBT rights,[14][15] women's rights, pension reform, and energy.[16][17] She was supportive of many cultural exchanges between Taiwan and other countries,[18] namely China.[19][20][21] Soon after taking office, she co-signed a bill proposed by Karen Yu to allow young children into the legislative chamber.[22] In March 2018, Ko remarked that customs deemed discriminatory toward women should be phased out.[23] She approached pension reform from a schoolteacher's perspective,[24][25] proposing that the monthly pension be capped at NT$32,160,[26] and suggested that pensions be withheld from retired public servants that took positions at government funded agencies willing to pay half of their former salary.[27]

Ko drew attention to corruption on private school boards,[28] the labor rights of graduate students,[29] funding for internships,[30] and policies affecting foreign students.[31][32] She took an interest in student safety,[33][34] and to this end, helped pass stricter restrictions on cram school instructors.[35][36] In November 2017, Ko advised James C. Liao and others affiliated with Academia Sinica to resign from National Taiwan University's presidential selection committee to avoid a conflict of interest, as two candidates under consideration were Academia Sinica's then- and former vice president.[37] When Kuan Chung-ming was named NTU president, Ko pushed the Ministry of Education to confirm his election,[38][39] though Kuan was also suspected of a conflict of interest.[40]

Upon completing her term in the Legislative Yuan, Ko returned to her professorship within Tamkang University's Graduate Institute of Educational Psychology and Counseling and concurrently headed the National Policy Foundation, a Kuomintang think tank. She was nominated as the KMT candidate for the Kaohsiung mayoralty in June 2022.[1]

References

  1. Teng, Pei-ju (29 June 2022). "KMT picks ex-Legislator Ko Chih-en for Kaohsiung mayoral race". Central News Agency. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  2. "Ko Chih-en (9)". Legislative Yuan. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  3. Hsu, Stacy (8 April 2018). "FEATURE: Hoodie symbolizes revival of KMT morale". Taipei Times. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  4. Hsu, Stacy (21 November 2015). "KMT legislator-at-large list released". Taipei Times. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  5. Chung, Jake (22 November 2015). "KMT confirms all legislators-at-large". Taipei Times. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  6. Hsu, Stacy (23 November 2015). "Candidates specialists in diverse fields: KMT's Chu". Taipei Times. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  7. Su, Fang-ho; Chuang, Meng-hsuan; Lin, Liang-sheng (2 February 2016). "New lawmakers walk red carpet for new session". Taipei Times. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  8. Lin, Liang-sheng; Chung, Jake (12 April 2016). "KMT still hoping to beef up presence in south Taiwan". Taipei Times. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  9. Chen, Wei-han (24 February 2017). "DPP lawmakers win key convener seats". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  10. Lin, Sean (9 March 2018). "DPP to dominate education committee after lawmakers choose new conveners". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  11. Lee, I-chia (22 November 2017). "Women worried about economic pressure: KMT poll". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  12. Lin, Chia-nan (27 May 2017). "Cross-party alliance to push renewable energy". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  13. Lin, Sean (6 May 2016). "Education minister insists curriculum had 'no problems'". Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  14. Lin, Sean (11 December 2016). "Thousands rally to support equal marriage rights". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  15. Lin, Sean (7 October 2017). "Cabinet working on gay marriage legislation: Lai". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  16. Lin, Sean (30 March 2018). "KMT demands answers about reactor incident". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  17. Chang, Hung-ta; Chin, Jonathan (11 August 2017). "KMT lawmaker challenges premier on vow to meet power demand in two years". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  18. "Le Cordon Bleu could start culinary program in Taiwan soon, official says". Taipei Times. 24 February 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  19. Gerber, Abraham (18 March 2016). "Security for musicians in China 'honor': lawmaker". Taipei Times. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  20. Shan, Shelley (14 October 2016). "Culture ministry rules out local branch of iQiyi". Taipei Times. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  21. Chen, Wei-han (23 September 2016). "Jackie Chan replicas axed". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  22. Hsiao, Alison (5 March 2016). "Legislator wants children in chamber". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  23. Chin, Jonathan (8 March 2018). "Discriminatory customs should be dropped: legislator". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  24. Tseng, Wei-chen (7 May 2017). "Committee to begin pension reform review". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  25. Lin, Sean (29 June 2017). "Teacher retirement age reform bill passes reading". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  26. Lin, Sean (16 June 2017). "Party caucuses fail to agree on pension reform bills". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  27. Lin, Sean (17 June 2017). "Draft to ban pension for retirees on high-paid jobs". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  28. Lin, Sean (1 July 2016). "Minister pans faculty as directors". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  29. Gerber, Abraham (7 July 2016). "Ministry seeks balance on holidays, pay". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  30. Lin, Sean (30 March 2017). "MOE mulls student-intern rules". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  31. Lin, Sean (9 October 2016). "Ministry aims to boost international student numbers". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  32. Hsiao, Alison (8 December 2016). "Foreign students Tsai's 'collateral damage': KMT". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  33. Shan, Shelley (14 April 2016). "Groups mull school bus regulations". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  34. Chen, Yu-fu; Lin, Rachel (28 October 2017). "KMT lawmakers criticize plan to phase out military instructors from schools". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  35. Lin, Sean (18 May 2017). "Foreign cram-school teachers to face tighter rules". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  36. Lin, Sean (27 May 2017). "Cram-school rule changes pass third reading". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  37. Lin, Chia-nan (21 November 2017). "Academia Sinica denies swaying NTU president's selection". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  38. Lin, Sean (26 January 2018). "DPP accused of 'undemocratic' behavior in NTU dispute". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  39. Maxon, Ann (7 March 2018). "Lawmaker quizzes Lai about Kuan". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  40. Lin, Liang-sheng; Wu, Po-hsuan; Chung, Jake (5 April 2018). "KMT urges ministry to ratify NTU president election". Taipei Times. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
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