The Ministry of Education will encourage the opening of more schools for Taiwanese businesspeople's children in China, or having them study on Kinmen Island, according to Minister of Education Huang Jong-tsun (
Huang made the remarks after having paid a visit to Kinmen on Wednesday, where he inspected the situation regarding such children going to school there. Huang was accompanied by senior ministry officials and various lawmakers.
According to Huang, his ministry is supportive of the establishment of more schools for Taiwan businesspeople's children in China. Otherwise, they can consider receiving education on Kinmen.
Huang made the proposal given the fact that only about 10 percent of businesspeople's school-age children based in southeastern China are able to enroll in local elementary and junior schools set up especially for them.
Kinmen County Education Bureau Chief Lu Chih-hui (盧志輝) briefed Huang and his entourage, reporting that a total of 42 children of Taiwanese businesspeople from Xiamen, Quanzhou and Zhangzhou in Fujian Province are studying in Kinmen now -- 10 in elementary schools, 16 in junior-high schools and eight each at senior-high schools and vocational schools.
Lu said Kinmen's schools can accept more businesspeople's children from China.
Kinmen County has in recent years earmarked more than NT$10 million (US$300,000) to build and refurbish student residences, Lu said, adding that its primary schools and junior-high schools can take at least 2,000 students and 1,000 students, respectively.
Lu stressed that Taiwanese businesspeople's children studying in Kinmen will be given the same privileges as local students, ranging from free insurance, books, transport and education fees to subsidized housing.
Taiwan Solidarity Union Legislator Cheng Jhen-long (程振隆) said only 1,500 out of about 15,000 Taiwanese children in the Dongguan and Shanghai areas are accepted by the special schools for Taiwan businesspeople's children.
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