I was recently invited to serve on a foundation’s selection committee to choose the winners of a grant for low-income university students. Having to select 72 students out of more than 400 applicants made my heart sink.
Each choice was extremely difficult, because these applicants were all in harsh situations. Their predicaments were far beyond what the phrase “low-income” could accurately describe.
Having read the backgrounds of these students, I immediately started looking for information online about funding programs for low-income students provided by the Ministry of Education or universities, and I discovered two models worth further examination.
The regulations for national university funding programs for low-income students stipulate: “The grant pays NT$10,000 per semester to each sponsored student. The number of sponsorship places available is decided by a quota, which is 1.5 to 2 percent of the total student population of a university, or up to 2.2 percent, should it be necessary.”
This means that if the total number of students in a university is 12,000, at least 240 students per semester would benefit from the program. If a subsidy system were available at all universities, this would not only benefit disadvantaged students financially, but would also help them in other areas, such as providing them with support systems outside the school.
For example, a university could help students contact social welfare departments and apply for a family allowance, or contact medical institutions or long-term care services. This would allow the financial providers of a student’s household to continue working to look after any ill family members, which could otherwise result in an even worse financial situation.
The other model is a Ministry of Education program for the reduction and exemption of tuition and other fees, which was launched in 2007. The program aims to encourage disadvantaged students to attend school.
Students from families in the bottom 40th percentile of household income could be subsidized by the government. The program is implemented in four ways: scholarships, supplemental living stipends, emergency financial aid and accommodation discounts.
The aid programs should be expanded by increasing the universities’ self-raised funds and the subsidies provided by the ministry.
Moreover, according to regulations, disadvantaged students who receive a monthly living allowance of more than NT$6,000 are obliged to work as interns for the university, should the university provide such opportunities.
A common practice in these types of programs is to collaborate with the university’s part-time working system, giving subsidized students priority to work. By doing so, the students obtain opportunities to acquire practical skills and experience that could be applied to life and work.
People can refer to the three winners of this year’s Nobel Prize in Economics for a possible solution to provide timely help for young people who are pursuing degrees and help them ride out the storm, turning difficulty into hope.
Based on scientific evidence, the studies of Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer provide insights for government ministries, departments and schools into how to establish a comprehensive support system for disadvantaged students.
Chang Huey-por is a former president of National Changhua University of Education.
Translated by Lin Lee-kai
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