The Control Yuan is very concerned about the increasing numbers of Taiwanese students attending universities in China, and it nay invite the education minister to give a briefing at the Control Yuan in the next few days, according to a Control Yuan member.
The certification of universities in China has become a thorny problem for educational establishments in Taiwan, as increasing numbers of students are pursuing their advanced studies across the Taiwan Strait.
A report by the Control Yuan indicates that the number of Taiwanese students studying at universities in China is estimated to be about 3,000.
It also suggests that a certification system for diplomas issued by China's education system should be established to prevent people from taking advantage of the ambiguous situation.
DPP Legislator Chang Ching-fang (
Some brokers who claim to be able to help Taiwanese students obtain admission to prestigious universities in China are making profits illegally because they are violating the Statute Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (
The legislator said that quite a few consulting firms on Chinese educational establishments have been set up in Taiwan over recent years as students have begun showing an increasing interest in pursuing their education on the other side of the Strait.
The legislator said he is very concerned about the appearance of advertisements by some of these brokers who claim that they can help "solve the problem of military service."
The Military Service Law (
Since the government has made an exception for children of Taiwanese businesspeople investing in China, allowing them to continue their studies in China, some brokers are using the exception as a loophole in the Military Service Law.
They have sold forged documents of false identities at high prices to those wishing to evade the obligation of military service, Chang said.
The legislator has demanded that the Education Ministry, the Justice Ministry and the Mainland Affairs Council make a thorough investigation of the operations of the numerous brokers.
The legislator also proposed that the government work out a certification system for diplomas issued by institutions in China as soon as possible in view of the fact that Taiwan's educational market is opening, not only to education institutions of the advanced economies, but also to universities in China.
An authoritative certification system for diplomas issued in China would pave the way for academic exchanges on both sides of the Strait, while both Taipei and Beijing have become members of the WTO.
The legislator said that the government should take the initiative and, in the meantime, should work out an efficient supervisory mechanism.
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