The Control Yuan censured the Taipei and Hsinchu education departments for failing to enforce rules on cram schools, as many provide services that are banned for their type of institution.
Nearly 60 percent of junior-high and high-school students attend cram schools after their regular school day ends, Control Yuan members Wang Yu-ling (王幼玲), Tsai Chung-yi (蔡崇義) and Chang Chu-fang (張菊芳) said in a news release today.
In cities, the number exceeds 70 percent, they said.
Photo: Lo Kuo-chia, Taipei Times
Cram schools, after-school daycares and kindergartens are subject to different regulations, the Control Yuan said.
Cram schools can hire foreign teachers to teach a language, but cannot provide tutoring, while after-school daycares can provide help with school homework, but cannot provide additional education, it said.
Kindergartens can provide daycare for the entire day, but cannot hire foreign instructors to teach a particular subject, it added.
However, since a 2014 Ministry of Education directive was issued stating that short-term cram schools “may provide snacks, naptime, homework guidance, field trips, short-term camps” and other services in childrens’ best interest, it has further blurred the lines between the types of establishments, it said.
As there are clear discrepancies between the law and actual practice, school owners often “skirt the edge of the law,” potentially threatening the safety of students, the statement said.
As an example, the members cited a cram school in Taipei that was known to be illegally operating as a kindergarten by the city as early as 2016.
However, the school is still operating and has even expanded to nine locations, they said.
The Control Yuan members therefore also instructed the ministry to review related regulations and improve oversight of educational institutions.
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