Taoyuan County Government yesterday extended English-language classes to first graders at 22 elementary schools in the county on a one-year trial basis.
Taoyuan County Commissioner John Wu (吳志揚) said yesterday that it was very important to strengthen English-language class for students in Taoyuan because the nation’s main international airport is located in the county.
The extension will apply to all of the county’s 187 elementary schools next year and the county plans to train 253 more English teachers in addition to the 530 certified English teachers it already has, he said.
Elementary-school students usually begin English-language classes when they enter third grade. However, some cities and counties, such as Taipei City, have students that take the classes as early as first grade, while Taipei County has added three additional English-related classes to the elementary school curriculum each week.
The Ministry of Education does not encourage nor does it oppose local governments’ English-language education policies, but it does not provide funding for extended programs.
In related news, data released by the ministry’s Department of Statistics showed that the number of foreign-language cram schools in the nation has increased significantly over the past nine years.
The figure grew by 3,300 to 5,300 as of the end of last year, the data showed.
The number of human arts and science cram schools rose by almost three times in nine years to 9,642 as of the end of last year, the data showed.
Taiwan would benefit from more integrated military strategies and deployments if the US and its allies treat the East China Sea, the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea as a “single theater of operations,” a Taiwanese military expert said yesterday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a researcher at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said he made the assessment after two Japanese military experts warned of emerging threats from China based on a drill conducted this month by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Eastern Theater Command. Japan Institute for National Fundamentals researcher Maki Nakagawa said the drill differed from the
‘WORSE THAN COMMUNISTS’: President William Lai has cracked down on his political enemies and has attempted to exterminate all opposition forces, the chairman said The legislature would motion for a presidential recall after May 20, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday at a protest themed “against green communists and dictatorship” in Taipei. Taiwan is supposed to be a peaceful homeland where people are united, but President William Lai (賴清德) has been polarizing and tearing apart society since his inauguration, Chu said. Lai must show his commitment to his job, otherwise a referendum could be initiated to recall him, he said. Democracy means the rule of the people, not the rule of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), but Lai has failed to fulfill his
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
A rally held by opposition parties yesterday demonstrates that Taiwan is a democratic country, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, adding that if opposition parties really want to fight dictatorship, they should fight it on Tiananmen Square in Beijing. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) held a protest with the theme “against green communists and dictatorship,” and was joined by the Taiwan People’s Party. Lai said the opposition parties are against what they called the “green communists,” but do not fight against the “Chinese communists,” adding that if they really want to fight dictatorship, they should go to the right place and face
RSS