Rethinking education
Minister of Education Wu Ching-chi (吳清基) recently said that the “ultimate goal of education is to help students become independent learners and care about other people.” (“Ministry to help universities make top 100,” Oct. 13, page 2) This is the ideal goal of education, as defined by Wu. However, reflecting on Taiwan’s education system, many will agree that it is doubtful Taiwan can achieve this goal given its focus on examinations.
Many parents in Taiwan admire the Finnish education system. Finland scored highly and reached second place in the Programme for International Student Assessment in 2003 and 2006.
In Taiwan, students are frustrated by the endless series of examinations. Students are expected to explore and broaden their knowledge in schools; but in Taiwan, they spend most of their time taking tests instead of doing research or enjoying their studies. What is the purpose of these examinations?
Finnish students are happy to study. This is in sharp contrast to Taiwanese students, who get increasingly depressed by the endless exams. It doesn’t mean Finnish children do not have examinations. The purpose of conducting exams in Finnish schools is to help children strive and make progress at the same time.
Finnish teachers give students room to improve by giving them more opportunities. Students learn the value of self-reflection and gradually grow in confidence. They are also allowed to practice in their field of interest through project-based learning. Self-regulated learning and a proper learning attitude are established through the project.
Other than admiring the Finnish education system, we should rethink what the core value of education is. Getting high scores and entering a good university are the goals that most Taiwanese parents and teachers set for the kids. If we cannot change this focus on examinations, we can never reform our education system. The losers are the students, who fail to grasp the value of learning as it only becomes a means for scoring high in exams.
Change cannot happen overnight. We should seriously rethink what our goal is and how we — the ministry, parents and teachers — can work together to achieve it. I believe that schools in Taiwan can also cultivate independent learners like the Finnish system.
IRENE WANG
Taipei
Corruption misperception
I was surprised to read Transparency International (TI) Taiwan chairman Hung Yung-tai (洪永泰) say: “Taiwan appears to have rebounded from 39th position last year — the worst TI corruption rating the country had ever received.” (“Anti-corruption ranking rises: report,” Nov. 19, page 3).
As TI has explained in its report, Corruption Perceptions Index 2009, in which Taiwan’s ranking improved to 37th this year, changes in the country ranking do not say much about perceptions of corruption in a country.
As a matter of fact, Taiwan’s corruption perceptions index fell to 5.6 in the 2009 report, from 5.9 in 2006. Since higher scores indicate lower perceived corruption, the new report actually contradicts the TI Taiwan chairperson’s statement.
CHRISTIAN SCHAFFERER
Taichung
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