Central News Agency (CNA, reporter Hao Hsueh-ching, Taichung, July 1) Minister of Education Cheng Ying-yao was criticized for taking sick leave to campaign when he did not attend the Legislative Yuan's Education and Culture Committee meeting and instead went to Changhua for an inspection. He stated in Taichung today that he did not take sick leave that day, but rather it was a scheduled public duty to inspect school facilities in Changhua. Cheng Ying-yao attended the opening ceremony of the special exhibition "Seeing Excellence: Taiwan's Scientific Research Innovation and Achievements" held at the National Museum of Natural Science this morning. He told reporters during a pre-ceremony interview that he was not taking sick leave for campaigning, but that it was a scheduled public duty to inspect elementary and middle school facilities in Changhua. Cheng Ying-yao said that he actually hopes education can be non-partisan and not so political. In fact, he has visited Miaoli County twice recently, with Miaoli County Magistrate Chung Tung-chin, Deputy Magistrate Lai Hsiang-ling, KMT Legislator Chiu Chen-chun, and independent Legislator Chen Chao-ming all present. Cheng Ying-yao pointed out that President Lai Ching-te's platform is to balance Taiwan. Everyone knows that the six special municipalities have had richer resources in the past, so over the past two years, he has visited many non-metropolitan counties and cities, from Kinmen, Matsu, Hualien, Taitung, Yilan to Miaoli. He said that he wanted to take this opportunity to share with everyone that the Ministry of Education's Big Maker program aims to have a central library in every county and city, as well as branch libraries in every township and town. Miaoli County received the largest subsidy, up to NT$550 million, followed by Chiayi City with NT$450 million. Cheng Ying-yao said that when he went to Miaoli to see the elementary school track, it was unbelievably dilapidated, which Chung Tung-chin also witnessed. At t