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
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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’.
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.
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 entranceconstraint school systems
1530 "A Sermon on Keeping Children in
School“ argued for compulsorily parent’s
obligation to send children to schools
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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’.
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’.
Genesis of National Education in Taiwan
Taiwan back to China (1945-)
1947, Taiwan’s Administrative Office enacted
‘Scheme of compulsory schooling for schoolaged 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.
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 9year 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
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
National vs. basic education
Before 2005, all the official documents
refer to this policy as ‘Extension of 12year National Education’, not as
‘National Basic Education’.
What the conceptual differences are
between these two terms?
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.
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
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
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
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
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’ .
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.
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
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
Re-fixing 12-year NBE’s position
Making clear NBE’s falseness and
truthfulness
Many Thanks for Your Attention!