Students urged to expand their horizons

The Ministry of Education is encouraging high-school students to embark on overseas field trips with a view to enriching their knowledge and fostering a global perspective.

As part of the drive, the ministry earlier this month organized a delegation of high-school principals, teachers and administrators to conduct a fact-finding visit to Japan to assess the viability of high-school field trips.

Because of the preservation of traditional culture, Japan is regarded as one of the best places for high-school trips, in addition to South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Germany, according to members of the delegation that visited Japan last week.

The 75-member team was headed by Liu Yung-shun (劉永順), chairman of the Taiwan International Association for Education Tours and the principal of Tamsui Vocational High School. The delegation was made up of principals, teachers and executive officials from around 70 high schools and vocational high schools.

The group, divided into five teams, made separate visits to Hokkaido, Fukushima, Chiba, Yamanashi and Shinshu prefectures.

Liu said yesterday that they were warmly greeted wherever they went.