The Taipei Department of Education yesterday said it is launching an extended-studies voucher program for seniors, offering vouchers of up to NT$3,000 for courses that it expects to benefit thousands.
The program aims to encourage seniors to devote themselves to lifelong learning.
From next month through May, the department is offering 36 free “taster” courses on subjects such as health and information, creative handicrafts and financial management in retirement to all seniors who are a registered resident of Taipei, the department said.
The vouchers would be available from June, and would cover part of the tuition fees for seniors enrolling in summer or fall courses at community colleges, it said.
Those who can prove that they are low-income or low-to-middle-income residents of Taipei would receive vouchers for up to NT$3,000 in course fees, it said, adding that seniors who do not fall into that category would qualify for vouchers of up to NT$1,000.
All eligible seniors, defined as being 65 or older, can sign up for the program at their local community college immediately, the department said.
Registration for the vouchers would start by June, with the details of when and where to apply to be announced later, the department said.
At a trial event yesterday, the department invited Weng Ho Kuang-mei (翁何光美), who studies at Shilin Community College, to share her experiences.
Weng Ho has studied Japanese at the college since 1999.
She said that she had returned for the past 24 years without fail because the teachers encouraged the students to keep learning, saying the constant mental activity would prevent their brains from regressing.
The college has also kept up with the times, as she had wanted to take some days off due to knee surgery, but the teacher encouraged her to use a tablet computer and join the class remotely, Weng Ho said.
She said that learning a foreign language after she turned 70 has opened up her mind, enabling her to become more accepting of new things.
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