The Ministry of Education yesterday came under fire from Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Pan Men-an (潘孟安), who said that its proposal to ease requirements for Chinese students would come at the expense of university students in Taiwan.
Media reported yesterday that government officials had been studying a proposal that would enable Chinese university graduates to attend Taiwanese universities to study for master’s degrees or doctorates without first passing a written exam.
In contrast, most Taiwanese university graduates must take written tests, be recommended and and pass an interview. Popular methods of ensuring high marks on the written test include spending hundreds of hours at a cram school.
While recent reports suggest that the ministry had also been looking into abolishing written tests for Taiwanese students, Pan said the revisions for Chinese students were made because of requests from private universities eager to begin recruitment, which could take place soon.
“This is despicable … are the Chinese students more special?” Pan asked in the legislature. “How can they receive more benefits than Taiwanese students? Do they pay taxes in Taiwan, or serve in the Taiwanese military?”
Pan also questioned whether the proposed revisions were “custom made” for future Chinese students to make it easier for them to attend private universities, said to be reeling from declining enrollment figures in recent years.
Speaking for the DPP caucus, Pan said party lawmakers would oppose the proposal and would ask officials to take a closer look during the next budget review session for the ministry.
Ho Cho-fei (何卓飛), director for the ministry’s Department of Higher Education, did not answer requests to comment on the report.
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