For years, Taiwan’s university entrance system has provided bonus points to indigenous students, a policy originally designed as a form of affirmative action. While well-intentioned, this mechanism has gradually become a label that undermines the credibility and dignity of young indigenous people.
Many capable indigenous students carry the silent burden of a single damaging assumption: “Did you get in because of bonus points?”
Such remarks are not merely casual comments — they reflect a deeper, institutionalized prejudice that reduces a person’s identity to a bureaucratic advantage.
Fairness cannot be achieved by adjusting scores at the finish line. By equating “ethnic identity” with “academic deficiency,” the system implies that indigenous students cannot compete without special treatment. This mindset infantilizes and stigmatizes an entire community.
It is time to end this outdated practice and replace it with more empowering and equity-based alternatives.
The government should invest in foundational education by bolstering resources in indigenous communities through better teaching support, digital access and culturally relevant curricula — starting from elementary levels.
Second, it should create culture-based admission pathways, encouraging indigenous students to gain recognition through language proficiency, cultural projects or service contributions, showcasing their strength, rather than relying on compensatory mechanisms.
Third, it should reward social impact, not just identity. It could offer scholarships or debt forgiveness to indigenous people who contribute to their communities through teaching, environmental stewardship or cultural work.
We do not want sympathy — we want respect. We are not a bonus; we are a future force. Let us move beyond tokenism and work toward genuine equality in education.
Tu Hsin-fu is an indigenous affairs advocate.
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