Eleven experienced elementary and junior-high principals in Chiayi County are retiring before age 60, raising worries about a leadership gap in local schools.

• All eleven are under 60 and highly experienced, and county councillor Ho Tzu-fan warns the loss could hurt students.
• Ho wants the county to offer incentives so principals and senior staff stay on until the normal retirement age.
• County head Weng Chang-liang says many retired principals keep helping schools with day-to-day problems, and he is more focused on how principals are trained and assigned.
• One junior-high principal describes the job as exhausting: parents quick to sue, students no one disciplines, no teachers willing to take on admin roles, and constant fundraising just to keep programs running.

Outlook: Without changes to pay, workload, or training pipelines, more principals are likely to leave early and the shortage will deepen.