A Study of the Educational Reform of ‘National Basic Education’ Policy in Taiwan

1. A Study of the Educational Reform of ‘National Basic Education’ Policy in Taiwan Feng-Jihu Lee Professor and Director, Graduate Institute of Education, National Chung Cheng University

2. Introduction • National education has always been one of the most important aspects of education in Taiwan, as it is a part of the process of building a genuine foundation for the future hopes of the nation. • Public education has been compulsory from primary school to junior high school since 1968.

3. Introduction • In 1982, the government further announced the Compulsory Education Regulations, which stipulate that children of at least 6 years of age are required to begin primary schooling without taking entrance tests.

4. Introduction • At the New Year of 2011, the president Dr. Ma Yingjeou officially announced the inauguration of the so-called ‘promotion of 12-year national basic education’, which policy had been controversially argued for and against since 1983.

5. Introduction • This educational reform aims to extend compulsory education to cover senior secondary education and is rather complicated and takes nearly 30 years to be completed. • However, this policy must seriously take into accounts the more complex problems such as

6. Introduction • rectification of educational acts, • adaption of school district layouts, • redesign of curriculum, • quality promotion of senior high schools and vocational senior high schools, • bridging the learning gap between rural and urban high schools, • structural adjustment of initial teacher education, • financial support for underprivileged students, • priorities setting of education budgets, et al.

7. Introduction • ‘If the name is not right then speech will not be in order, and if speech is not in order then nothing will be accomplished.’ said Confucius 2500 years ago.

8. Introduction • This paper shall do some conceptual analysis to the concepts of ‘national education’ and its related conceptions such as compulsory education, free education, basic education. • Secondly, from a historical approach, this paper traces the backgrounds of the policy of ‘promotion of 12-year national basic education’.

9. Introduction • Thirdly, the presenter will present the historical development of this policy itself. • Finally, the presenter attempts to re-fix this policy’s position and ascertain its falseness and truthfulness.

10. Genesis of National Education • Martin Luther • 1517 The 95 Theses on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences : everyone should be able to read the Bible, and therefore be educated in schools. • 1524 "To the Councilmen of All Cities in Germany that They Establish and Maintain Christian Schools“ argued for building free and no entrance-constraint school systems • 1530 "A Sermon on Keeping Children in School“ argued for compulsorily parent’s obligation to send children to schools

11. Genesis of National Education • King of Prussia Frederick William I • in 1717 instituted compulsory primary education • 1735 and 1736 set up teacher training institute respectively • 1736 issued the Principia Regulativa, a general plan for parents to send children from 6 to 12 to attend schools compulsorily

12. Genesis of National Education • King of Prussia Frederick William II • 1763 education as a National business, children from 5 to 13 or 14 must attend schools； • 1794 enacted education act, school education shall be charged by the Nation, not the church

13. Genesis of National Education in China • Chin Dynasty China • 1902 education systems include primary education, not in practice • 1903 education systems include primary education: Junior primary school, from 7 to 12; Senior primary school, from 13 to 17. • Both primary schools are Not compulsory.

14. Genesis of National Education in China • Republic of China • 1912 New School System, the stage of primary education includes Junior primary school for 4 years, and Senior primary school for 3 years. The Junior primary school belongs to compulsory education. • Not in practice, though.

15. Genesis of National Education in China • 1929 the Mission of Education emphasized equal opportunities of education for both male and female children. • 1932 Ministry of Education enacted the Guideline for Implementing Compulsory Education, from 1932 to 1935. • December 1932 enacted Primary School Act. • May 1935 enacted the Temporary Guideline for Implementing Compulsory Education.

16. Genesis of National Education in China • March 1940, Ministry of Education enacted ‘Implementing Guideline for National Education’. The first time to use National Education in Chinese History of education, ranged from 6 to 12 years old children and supplementary education for illiteracy adults. • Not tuition-free education but compulsory. • 1947 the Constitution enacted, its 21 regulation adopts the term as ‘National Education’.

17. Genesis of National Education in Taiwan • Taiwan during Japanese colonization (1895-1945) • 1941, the Japanese colony government, according to ‘the National School Charter’, integrated the Japanese children’ primary school and Taiwanese children’ public school as the new ‘National School’.

18. Genesis of National Education in Taiwan • Taiwan back to China (1945-) • 1947, Taiwan’s Administrative Office enacted ‘Scheme of compulsory schooling for school-aged children’ , which was both compulsory and textbook-free. • 1956, the Scheme was revised to regulate each County Borough to organize ‘committee for implementing compulsory education’. Those who disobey this regulation will be advised, warned and fined.

19. Genesis of National Education in Taiwan • August 1967, Executive Yuan past the ‘Implementing Guideline for 9-year National Education’ • January 1968, the ‘Implementing Regulation for 9-year National Education’ announced. • The main themes • 1.Tuition fee-free • 2.District layout for Junior High School students • 3.Junior High School entrance without testing • 4.Allowance for setting private Junior High School

20. Conceptual Analysis of National Education • connotation and denotation of National Education • Aims: general vs. vocational • Characters: compulsory/ obligatory/universal • Stages of education: primary + junior high +? • Sovereign: National vs. religious or private • Implementation: tuition fee and/or textbook free • Entrance: specific school district

21. National vs. basic education • Before 2005, all the official documents refer to this policy as ‘Extension of 12-year National Education’, not as ‘National Basic Education’. • What the conceptual differences are between these two terms?

22. National vs. basic education • Legal acts: refer to Basic Education in 1936, draft Constitution; 1947 the Constitution; and 1944, National School Act regulated that ‘National education is the basic education for those who are 6 to 12 school-years children’. • So, NE & BE correspond to each other whether Conceptually or practically.

23. National vs. basic education • Stages of education: universal primary/ junior secondary education • Contents of learning: 3 R + basic skills vs. specialist skills • Basic education as a foundation for a person’s whole education

24. The development of extending schools’ years of national education in Taiwan • 1968: implementing 9-year NE • 1982: compulsory education regulations • 1st stage: 1983-1998 • 2nd stage: 1999-2005 • 3rd stage: 2005-2011

25. 1st stage: 1983-1998 • 1983: 10-year vocational education-based NE • 1989: MOE announced the plan for promotion of 12-year NE • 1990: No-Exam Volunteering High School Trial Program • 1993:Technical-craft Education for the 10th NE

26. 2nd stage: 1999-2005 • 1998: Multi-channel admission programs for senior high schools and vocational high schools • 2001:The Basic Academic Competence Test replaced united entrance exam, 1. admission by registration and placement, 2. admission by recommendation and selection, and 3. admission by application; at the same time, planning high school integrating with local community

27. 2nd stage: 1999-2005 • 2001: Minister Tseng Chih-Lang planning the educated school years。 • 2003: Minister Huang Jung-Tsun initiated 4 research programs • 2004: MOE organized ‘Working circle for promotion of 12-year National Education’ .

28. 3rd stage: 2005-2011 • 2004: set up task force team and office • 2007: Executive Yuan announced to put the policy in practice in 2009. • 2010: the 8th National Assembly of Education agrees to push the promotion policy. • 2011: Mr. president announced to starting the 12-year NE and will be fully achieved in 2014.

29. 3rd stage: 2005-2011 • Main contents/characteristics of 12-year NE • 1.universal: from 15+ to 18+ • 2.volunteer/non-obligatory: this education stage belongs to students’ rights, not compulsory • 3.non tuition fee-free

30. 3rd stage: 2005-2011 • 4.senior high school entrance without united exam’s scores • 5.both public and private。 • 6.multiple-types senior high school • 5.both general and technical education

31. Re-fixing 12-year NBE’s position

32. Making clear NBE’s falseness and truthfulness

33. Many Thanks for Your Attention!