MOE wants more foreign English teachers

Minister of Education Huang Jung-tsun (黃榮村) yesterday said he looked forward to hiring more foreign English teachers for primary schools in remote areas, after restrictions on their recruitment and supervision are lifted.

"It might enable us to acquire our own Albert Schweitzer, who will devote himself to elevating the English ability of Taiwanese children in remote mountainous areas," said the minister.

Schweitzer, a French doctor who won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1952, devoted spent 50 years practicing medicine in Africa.

"If we work out a plan to encourage foreign English teachers to work in rural or mountainous areas where schools often lack sufficient resources, it would help to minimize the gap between urban and rural regions in English-language education," the minister added.

Huang said the Ministry of Education (MOE) is negotiating with the Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) to win approval of new rules to allow "qualified, foreign English teachers" to teach English in local primary and secondary schools.

Huang failed to define what is meant by, "qualified foreign English teacher."

Under the current Employment Service Act, public primary and secondary schools are not allowed to hire foreigners to teach English-language classes

They are permitted, however, in public or registered private colleges, foreign schools, private elementary schools and secondary schools, or in bilingual courses offered by experimental high schools.

With the government planning to make English Taiwan's second official language within five years, however, elementary school students have been required since last year to study English starting in the fifth grade.

Liu Yi-chuan (劉奕權), director of the MOE's department of elementary education, told the Taipei Times that as soon as the CLA lifts the ban, the ministry would start working on a scheme to recruit foreign teachers.

Meanwhile, CLA vice chairman, Kuo Chi-jen (郭吉仁) said that since a consensus has been reached between the MOE and the CLA, the council would quickly expedite a draft of the amendment.

Kuo also said that although the draft must pass through the legislature, the restrictions would almost certainly be lifted within a year.

Kuo said that details, such as the qualifications required of the new teachers, have yet to be decided.

"Previously, the government banned foreigners from teaching in public schools to protect Taiwanese English teachers. However, now that Taiwan has joined the WTO and we face a more globalized world, it is time for us to welcome more foreign English-language instructors," he said.