The Ministry of Education (MOE) will review the Taipei County Government’s plan to introduce extra English-related classes in its elementary schools this fall, Vice Minister of Education Lin Tsung-ming (林聰明) said yesterday, adding that the plan would be rejected if it fails to conform to ministry principles.
“The ministry’s stance on the issue is very clear: The plan must respect and conform to the elementary curriculum guidelines. [The county] must follow due procedure and respect parents’ opinions before implementing the plan,” Lin said in response to questions from Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) at the legislature’s Education and Culture Committee.
Lin said the county had not submitted the plan for extra English classes until Monday.
Elementary school students nationwide start English classes in the third grade, with two classes per week. Some cities and counties, such as Taipei City and Hsinchu, have students begin the classes as early as first grade.
The ministry does not ban the practice, but it also does not provide subsidies for these classes.
Liu Ho-jen (劉和然), director of the county’s Education Bureau, said on April 14 that students will have two extra English classes and an “advanced reading” class each week.
Liu said the county’s decision came after a survey conducted by the bureau in March showed that around 80 percent of parents in the county supported implementing the new curriculum.
Hung expressed concern over the plan, however, saying the county began a trial at 48 schools in the county’s remote areas in 2008 without first seeking the ministry’s approval.
Hung, a former teacher, said she believed elementary education should focus on character building.
“Are we helping students improve their competitiveness or, rather, giving them extra pressure by introducing extra [English] classes?” Hung said.
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