Concerned parents yesterday called for a relaxation of restrictions on men of draft age studying overseas in order to enable those who have not completed military service to make visits home.
According to a report issued by the Parents' Society of Overseas Students of Taiwan, approximately 120,000 male students in 17 countries -- including around 13,000 in the US alone -- are currently unable to return to Taiwan without having to perform military service before they can leave again.
"Ironically, these students can travel anywhere in the world, except home," said Johnny Huang (
"These students, who left Tai-wan before the law was amended in 1998, are deprived of their right to come home due to their fear of being barred from leaving Taiwan because of their non-completion of military service and the fact that the colleges they are attending overseas do not meet the nation's regulations [for deferring military service]."
Men in Taiwan aged between 18 and 40 are obliged to serve 22 months in the military. Under the Military Service Law, which came into effect on June 25, 1998, an 18-year-old man who leaves the country must be enrolled in an institution of higher education before the end of the year in which he turns 19 in order to lawfully postpone his military service.
Higher education is defined as involving programs that award bachelor's, master's or doctorate degrees.
The statute also states that such students must complete their bachelor's, master's or doctoral programs by the ages of 24, 27 and 30 respectively.
Parents yesterday condemned what they say is the irrationality of the rules in setting an age limit of 19 to enter college, and the law's exclusion of high schools, two-year community colleges and vocational programs as legitimate grounds for a deferment.
Huang said that as each individual's educational background and the time needed to sharpen their English language skills varies tremendously, it is unreasonable to set a time limit by when they must start their university education.
Moreover, the requirement to graduate by the age of 24 renders the starting age redundant, Huang said.
"The more vital issue is to ensure that their purpose for staying overseas is to study, and that their studies are uninterrupted," he said.
As for the criticism that two-year community colleges or vocational institutions are excluded, a Ministry of Education official said that the rule was made on the basis of reports released by US authorities. "Most of the two-year community colleges do not meet the US' own standards, which indicates that their academic achievements do not reach a certain level. That is why these colleges are not included within the rule," the official said.
Responding to parents' complaints, Chung Tai-li (
He said that prior to 1998, no males were permitted to study abroad after December 31 of the year of their 18th birthday, but the 1998 revision allowed one extra year for teenagers to gain entry to qualifying institutions.
"We are a nation with a draft system and we have to set rules to prevent opportunities for people to evade their military duty," Chung added.
RSS