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Most teachers use materials banned by MOE, poll shows

Nearly 70 percent of junior high school students said they have been taught with alternate "reference" books in class despite a ban on such publications, a recent poll showed.

“This result indicates abnormalities in our education system, as ‘credentialism’ is still hurting Taiwan’s junior high students,” Shih Ying (史英), chairman of the Humanistic Education Foundation, told a press conference yesterday.

Presenting the results of a foundation survey that polled 1,433 students in 299 junior high schools nationwide, Shih said 69.94 percent of respondents had been taught with unauthorized reference books, which present course material in a way that makes it easier for students to prepare for tests.

BANNED

The Ministry of Education (MOE) has prohibited elementary and junior high school teachers from using reference publications to teach and test students since 1989, Shih said.

“In addition, an overwhelming 97.38 percent of the respondents said that their schools were using the unauthorized books,” the chairman said.

Shih attributed the rampant use of the reference books to an education system that is too focused on passing entrance examinations, which junior high school students must take to enter high school.

Meanwhile, Shih said 89.39 percent of students said that their teachers have used unauthorized test prep sheets to help students score better on the exams.

SACK 'EM

“Teachers who have violated the ban should be sacked, while the school principals who tolerate such conduct should also leave their posts,” said Shih, who is also a mathematics professor at National Taiwan University.

The foundation will invite students and their parents to organize a monitoring group to help normalize the education system.

The poll was conducted between May 15 and June 10.
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