Exam heads argue over test content

Members of the civil service exam committee yesterday sparred over a move by the committee's head to change civil service exams to test applicants on the history and geography of Taiwan only.

The newly-appointed head of the basic-level civil servant recruitment examination committee Lin Yu-ti (林玉体), who is also an Examination Yuan member, insisted yesterday that he would only allow materials concerning Taiwan's history and geography to appear in next year's national history and geography exams.

Fellow member of the committee Hung Te-hsuan (洪德旋) disagreed, however, and declared war on the issue. He proposed to have Lin removed from the post.

Lin said that since he was the head of the committee, he had the right to decide which questions would appear on the exams.

"We don't hold the examination in Beijing, and the recruited civil servants do not work in China, so why should we test [them] on Chinese history and geography? ... The territory of our nation would include, as is commonly acknowledged, Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu. The exam would be held in four different locations in the nation. If our nation includes China, why don't we hold the exam in Beijing? That's because Beijing doesn't belong to our nation," Lin said.

Lin also countered those who held opposing views.

"Some Examination Yuan members said yesterday in the sitting that national history and geography should include China, or it would affect the civil servants' loyalty. But loyalty to who? Can our civil servants serve in China?" Lin said.

Hung attacked Lin's view, saying that he was ignoring the interests of the examinees and trying to influence the exams with his own ideology.

"I will propose in next Thursday's sitting to remove Lin from his committee post," Hung said. "I will not agree to having the whole Examination Yuan endorse Lin's Taiwan-only exams."

Lin, however, has the backing of Examination Yuan President Yao Chia-wen (姚嘉文).

"We cannot remove Lin from the committee simply because he supports Taiwan independence," Yao said.

The definition of what counts as the nation was a question for the Constitution, and not something to be worked out by the Examination Yuan, Yao said.

"The Examination Yuan needs to inform the examinees of a specific and clear examination range, and we will have the Ministry of Examination report on that in two weeks," Yao said.

In an Examination Yuan sitting two days ago, Lin and other members argued fiercely when Lin was appointed head of the committee, through a lottery draw.

It was during that sitting that Lin first proposed to define national history and geography as Taiwan's history and geography, sparking the arguments.