The Ministry of Education (MOE) yesterday said it is developing educational materials that are designed to reinforce students’ Taiwanese identity and enhance awareness of Chinese threats.
Minister of Education Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀) made the remarks at a meeting of the legislature’s Education and Culture Committee, in response to questions about educators advocating pro-China positions in class.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lin I-chin (林宜瑾) said that Taipei First Girls’ High School Chinese literature teacher Alice Ou (區桂芝) reportedly taught in class that Taiwan is part of China.
Photo: CNA
Citing another example, Lin said a parent of a third-grade student also told her that their child’s homeroom teacher taught students that “we are all Chinese.”
Lin expressed concern that children might be confused about their national identity because of these teachings.
Other lawmakers cited the case of National Tsing Hua University professor Jou Jwo-huei (周卓煇), who took 28 students on a five-day academic exchange tour to China during the Tomb Sweeping holiday. China reportedly footed the bill for food and accommodation.
Chou defended the tour, saying the trip was purely for academic research and had nothing to do with Beijing’s “united front” work.
Lawmakers urged the education ministry to pursue solutions to the problem.
Cheng replied that individual safety would not be possible without national security.
“The purpose of the Fundamental Act of Education [教育基本法] is to develop national consciousness and a global perspective. The Social Studies Tutoring Group for Primary and Secondary Schools is compiling educational materials designed to reinforce students’ national identity and enhance their literal awareness of threats from China, which should be completed during the summer vacation. We hope teachers of history, government and geography can attend training sessions for these materials and convey the right information and perspective to students,” Cheng said.
While individuals are entitled to their cultural preferences, educators must be neutral and their freedom of speech is protected under the Fundamental Act of Education, Cheng said.
Lawmakers also asked ministry officials if universities can deny students’ rights to set up tables to gather signatures for the recall campaigns against Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators.
Cheng said that the act bans universities from advocating agenda for specific political groups, but it does not ban university students from voluntarily participating in civic activities.
Their freedom of speech should be protected so long as they are not promoting the agenda of specific political parties, Cheng said.
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