Central News Agency (CNA, reporter Chen Chih-chung, Taipei, July 3) The Executive Yuan passed a salary increase plan for civil servants, military personnel, and teachers on July 2, with a general raise of 4%. The National Substitute and Temporary Teachers Industry Union stated today that the education sector is most in need of young and new talent, and called for tiered salary increases, prioritizing higher starting salaries to boost attractiveness. The Executive Yuan meeting on July 2 passed the 116-year salary increase plan for civil servants, military personnel, and teachers, with a general raise of 4%. Additionally, professional allowances such as academic research allowances for teachers and fixed allowances for supervisory positions will each be increased by NT$2,000, effective July 1, 115. The Substitute Teachers Union issued a press release today stating that since the implementation of the new retirement system, teaching positions no longer offer the strong lifetime pension guarantees of the past, making it difficult to attract new talent in the job market. The education sector is currently most in need of young and new talent, not mid-to-senior level professionals. They suggest that resources should be tilted towards raising starting salaries, for example, by further increasing the salary adjustment for lower salary grades (grades 190 to 245) to 6%. Furthermore, schools have been severely lacking substitute teachers in recent years. Through the efforts of the Substitute Teachers Union, substitute teachers with qualified teaching certificates can now have their salary grades adjusted comparably to full-time teachers. However, substitute teachers without qualified teaching certificates still face a 20% deduction in their current salary and academic research fees. The Substitute Teachers Union calls for policy adjustments, arguing that only by establishing a friendly and equal salary environment can outstanding talent from outside the education sector and fro