Taiwan Quick Take: Character boosting needed

Character education efforts will be included in school evaluations and will serve as reference when providing grants to schools, Vice Minister of Education Wu Tsai-shun (吳財順) said yesterday. The new policy is part of the Ministry of Education's efforts to encourage elementary and junior high schools to strengthen character education, Wu said, adding that the goal is to help children develop dispositions that will enable them to flourish intellectually, personally and socially. Wu said that character education is not just one course, a quick-fix program or a slogan but an integral part of school life. Schools should initiate such character education programs as model students, classroom discipline rules, boy and girl scout activities, volunteer service, sports events and daily campus clean-up activities.