National Teachers’ Association, NTA, was formed on Feb. 1st 1999, with more than 1,960 school-based teachers’ associations and then became the largest national association in Taiwan. Its legal basis is enactment of Article 26 of the Teachers’ Act.
The establishment of NTA is a remarkable breakthrough in Taiwan’s education reform. Through proactively bottom-up mobilization, teachers at all levels initiate their school-based associations, form the local level associations and then join the big family, NTA, an organization of teachers’ profession, educational reform and social justice.
Not only the education authorities and school administrators need to get adjusted to the presence of a legitimate organization representing teachers, but also the teachers, for the first time, acknowledge their rights to organize and learn to independently manage their own representations. It is really something never experienced for both parties in the cultural context, esp. industrial relations in education sector.
After more than two decades struggles and efforts, NTA has been the most professional and influential voice in education policies and recognized as the most accountable teachers’ organization by the public. In addition, NTA has built strong partnership with civil society and union movement based on long-term collaborations over various social and human right issues.