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Survey not meant to increase military instructors: MOE

The Ministry of Education (MOE) on Sunday denied that its latest survey on the need for military instructors in universities and junior colleges was intended to increase the number of military instructors on campuses.

Wang Fu-lin (王福林), director of the ministry’s Department of Military Training Education, said the survey was conducted at the request of legislators to determine the maximum number of military instructors needed in higher education facilities.

The ministry would continue to “respect the wishes of those universities which do not want any military instructors on their campuses,” Wang said. “We will coordinate with the Ministry of National Defense to fill the vacancies in those schools that still feel the need for military instructors.”

Wang said that some universities had told the ministry that they needed more military instructors but could not get them because of current policy restrictions.

“During a budget screening session, legislators asked the Ministry of Education to find out how many military instructors are needed by universities and junior colleges, and that’s why we sent a letter to each and every university on Nov. 6 for the survey,” Wang said.

Wang said the ministry had begun a review of the role being played by military instructors on university campuses, but denied that the MOE had mapped out a policy to phase out the military instructors, along with the military training courses, by the end of 2020.

Wang said most schools still needed the assistance of military instructors who would not affect the independence of school authority or operations but would work with teachers to help students solve various problems.

The military training courses and military instructors were on campuses during the Martial Law era to reinforce anti-communist values among students and maintain stability at schools.

After martial law was terminated in 1987, the instructors continued to teach courses in military affairs, provide students with counseling and oversee campus security matters.

In the early 2000s, a campaign emerged demanding the withdrawal of all military instructors from universities because they were seen as part of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government’s desire to control students.

The Democratic Progressive Party government did not fill vacancies in universities left by retired military instructors, causing the number of military instructors to drop from 1,627 in 2003 to 1,058 at present.

Education officials under the KMT government said it was unlikely that military instructors could influence students’ thinking, because Taiwan has already become a democratic and pluralistic society.
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