Education in Taiwan
Peter Osborne’s thought--provoking opinion piece on education (“Internationalization key to education,” Dec.13, page 8) has shed new light on our higher education policy. In the article, Osborne points out the diversity of problems resulting from the proliferation of English-language schools and buxiban all over Taiwan, in striking contrast to the shortage of English-taught programs and permanent foreign faculty members in colleges and universities.
Parents and students are very much aware of the serious problem of undesirable English-language education. It is therefore imperative that the government and educators in Taiwan recognize the global trend toward bilingual educational and address the problems associated with hiring foreign professors.
Globalization means that the internationalization of education is an inevitable reality for which all universities need to prepare. At the same time, international educational programs are increasingly important in -matters ranging from job applications, business operations and university programs in a global context.
Taiwan needs to create an international environment to help foster the English-speaking and listening skills students in college and secondary schools need.
In addition, it is imperative that we improve and modernize the teaching techniques used by English teachers with innovative pedagogy necessary to motivate the students of today.
In the meantime, the Ministry of Education should enact policies to recruit foreign professors as permanent faculty members at universities. In this manner, all the faculty members and students can be better encouraged to adopt a creative and productive approach to learning over the long term.
After all, education is the foundation of the nation. We should also endeavor to enhance the international component of our internationalized education as soon as possible, while recruiting more elite students from overseas to help create future human resources and prosperity for Taiwan.
Higher education in Taiwan is in dire need of sweeping change to facilitate the pursuit of internationalization. Kudos to the Taipei Times for taking the time to give the subject the coverage it deserves.
MARTIN SHIH
Taipei
Is this really education?
The education system in Taiwan does not work well because exam results are the sole basis for decisions as to which schools students will attend. It also forces students try to get higher scores by spending weekends at cram school. This means many young people sacrifice time with their friends and family.
It is also extremely unfair because people from poorer families do not get to go to cram schools, but they have to take the same exams. No money means no decent scores, which makes the exam system even more cruel.
Another disadvantage is that before an important exam, -students are required to take mock exams at school to get better scores. In practice that means taking tests over and over again, which creates an unbearable learning environment based on repetition and rote learning. For example, some students have, at minimum, three tests a day. It is hardly surprising then that some grow tired of the monotony and may even give up trying, convinced that education simply does not work for them.
Students need more ways to select the high schools or universities they attend. For example, scholarships would make things fairer. Not everyone is good at every subject, so scholarships could also provide students with special talent the means to get into the school or university that suits them.
I do not agree with the Ministry of Education at all. It’s more difficult than ever for students to be successful. The ministry needs to reconsider some of its decisions and think about the students.
LIANG-YI OUYANG
Taichung
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