A national university in Kaohsiung promised it would increase the oversight of professors’ use of Chinese in course material following a social media outcry over several instances of simplified Chinese characters being used in the school such as on a final exam paper.
National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology (NKUST) found itself at the center of controversy after social media users revealed that simplified Chinese characters were used on a final exam and a course English textbook, while the business card of a professor had the words “Taiwan province, China” on it.
On the social media platform Threads, users posted photos of the exam, the English textbook and the business card, leading to questions about the university’s policies.
Photo: Taipei Times file photo
NTUST said that other teachers did not see the exam papers before they were given out to students, adding that all exam papers will continue to use traditional Chinese characters.
Regarding the textbook with simplified Chinese, there is currently no traditional Chinese version of that textbook, the school said, so the course instructor utilized resources in both Chinese and English for the class.
The course’s usual professor is away on leave, and the part-time teacher used external materials that accidentally included content from simplified Chinese textbooks for the students’ exams, the school added.
The English textbook was not used in the exam, clarified the school. As the class was a translation course, the teacher was allowed to use simplified Chinese content as reference materials and as practice for the students.
The use of traditional Chinese characters is strongly encouraged, NKUST added.
The business card that said “Taiwan province, China” was the personal card of a professor and not one issued by the school, said NKUST.
NKUST alumnus and Kaohsiung City Councilor Chang Po-yang (張博洋) said the government should do a nationwide inspection of professors to uncover Chinese Communist Party agents in higher education.
Infiltrating the educational system is part of China’s “united front,” Chang said, adding that the government would uncover a “mountain” of evidence if it looked into the situation.
The Ministry of Education does not currently mandate the use of traditional Chinese characters, the university said, adding that it would strengthen guidelines for teachers and continue promoting traditional characters.
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