President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Saturday suggested replacing the English part of university entrance exams with proficiency tests, saying it would give students a better chance to test their English skills.
Tsai made the remark during an event in Taipei to exchange ideas with about 200 high-school students.
English proficiency tests meet societal and educational demands better than the English test that is part of the nation’s university entrance exam, she said.
Photo: Screen grab from a live stream
Should the English part of the exam be replaced with a widely accepted proficiency test, prospective students could take the test any time they like and focus on achieving a high score, she said.
Ministry of Education Department of Higher Education Deputy Director-General Chu Chun-chang (朱俊彰) said that the current Test of English Listening Comprehension for high-school students is offered on four levels and held twice a year.
The ministry would ask the Joint Board of College Recruitment Commission to discuss the feasibility of adopting English proficiency test results as a criterion for university entrance, he said.
National Sun Yat-sen University president Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀) agreed with Tsai’s suggestion, saying that the new policy would help students meet international standards when seeking higher education or finding jobs.
An Examination Yuan meeting earlier this year passed an amendment that added B1 level English proficiency tests as a criterion for level 1 Civil Service Senior Examinations, starting in 2024, in a bid to replace the exam’s English tests.
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