The Public Television Service (PTS) will broadcast a documentary on the nation's junior-high schools today that reveals a two-tier system that divides students by academic performance remains widespread almost a decade after it was supposedly eliminated.
The documentary criticizes the system as a major cause of discord that distorts the educational system.
PTS held a preview of the 56-minute-long Mirror, mirror on the wall yesterday. The film focuses on junior-high schools in Changhua County, where it says the so-called "ability-grouping system" is throughly entrenched.
PTS' executive producer Sylvia Feng (
The school hit the headlines last September after one of its teachers kneeled before former minister of education Huang Jong-tsun (
The filmmakers said that even though the ministry has banned the system in junior-high schools since 1985, few schools have obeyed. They continued to divide new students, either covertly or overtly, according to their grades or their parents' social background or economic status. The schools claim the division helps the teaching and learning process and enables students to pass the entrance examination of senior-high schools more easily.
However, students ranked at the "B-level" or lower level, said it was unfair for them to receive unjust treatment and inferior resources just because they do not ace their exams.
Students in A-level classes also complained about the numerous tests they take and said they disliked going to school because the pressure to excel.
"Children are labeled as good or bad students as soon as they enroll in schools," said a parent of a "B-level" child. "Gradually they give up on themselves and believe that they are bad students."
However, most officials and school chiefs interviewed in the film denied such a system exists, although they added that it was difficult to eradicate the system since many parents like it.
Feng said that Minister of Education Tu Cheng-sheng (
Feng said that Tu promised to improve the situation as soon as possible.
"I urged ministry officials and school principals to stop pretending that the system does not exist and to stop lying to our students and society," Feng said. "It is high time to face up to a vicious format that is corroding our education system."
Documentary producer Celestine Ding (
"I hope this film can trigger reflection about our educational system and provide an incentive to start to deal with the problems," Ding said.
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