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Fundamental Education

As introduced by the Taiwan Yearbook 2006:

The Constitution entitles all children to at least six years of basic
education. The National Education Act, promulgated in 1979, stipulates
that all school-age children (between 6 and 15) must attend six years of
elementary school and three years of junior high school. Exceptions to
this rule are children with special educational needs, students who spend
time in supplementary education, and a small number of students in
experimental schools.

In 1982, the Compulsory School Attendance Act was revised, stating that
parents or guardians of school-age children are obliged to send them to
school and face fines or other penalties if they fail to do so. To enforce
this statute, Compulsory Attendance Committees were set up at different
levels of local government.

The compulsory education system has continuously evolved for the
better, both in terms of quality and size. In SY2005, the net enrollment
rate of elementary students eligible for universal public education was
99.40 percent. Almost all children eligible to begin the first year of
elementary school were enrolled that year, as required by law.

Elementary School

Elementary schooling is the first formal education children receive,
and the paramount aim is literacy. Since the mid-1990s, class sizes have
been continuously reduced to improve the quality of education. By SY2005,
there were an average of 29.26 students in a class.

Junior High School

According to the National Education Act, every citizen between 12 and
15 years of age is eligible for public junior high school education and
has the option of attending a private school. The three-year junior high
school program in Taiwan's educational system is comparable to grades
seven through nine in the United States. Junior high school is often
referred to as "intermediate education" in Taiwan. After completing three
years of junior high school courses, graduates must take basic competence
tests in order to enter senior high school or senior vocational school,
both of which are three-year programs, or a five-year junior college,
which also covers their high-school years.

Curricula for Grades 1-9

Before educational reforms started in the mid-1990s, considerable
discrepancies existed between elementary and junior high school curricula.
To fill the gap, in 2001 education authorities implemented a more
comprehensive and thorough curriculum, the General Guidelines of
Elementary and Junior High School Curriculum for Grades 1-9. Five core
character-building components are emphasized in the nine-year compulsory
education system. It is hoped that students will learn, among other
things, how to lead a balanced life, respect the law and democracy,
develop a sense of patriotism and a global perspective, and embrace
lifelong learning.

The curricula also designate seven major learning areas: languages,
health and physical education, social studies, arts and humanities,
mathematics, science and technology, and interdisciplinary activities.
Language constitutes 20 to 30 percent of the total curricula, with the
other six areas each taking an equal share of the remainder. In order to
better prepare students to enter an increasingly globalized world, English
has become compulsory from the third grade on, two years earlier than
previously had been required. One of Taiwan's local dialects (Holo
Taiwanese, Hakka, or an aboriginal dialect) is required from first through
sixth grade, but is optional in junior high school.

In addition to these guidelines, new teaching methods and textbooks are
also being introduced. Each school now has a curriculum development
committee to review teaching materials in accordance with these guidelines
so as to best accommodate the needs of students.

To improve the quality of English teaching at the fundamental education
level, the MOE in recent years has assisted local governments to recruit
native English speakers from countries like Canada, the United Kingdom,
and the United States to teach English at elementary and junior high
schools. It is expected that the project will enhance the competitiveness
of public elementary and junior high schools and help increase the number
of English-teaching staff in remote areas so as to bridge Taiwan's
rural-urban gap.

Multi-route Promotion Programs

Junior high graduates may enter secondary education through admission
by registration and placement, admission by recommendation and screening,
and admission by application. The primary index for admission into
secondary learning institutions is the Basic Competence Test (BCT) for
Junior High School Students, which is held twice every year and covers
five subjects: Chinese, English, mathematics, natural science, and social
science. Students may choose to take either or both of the BCTs. The score
of the first BCT is required for admission by application as well as
admission by recommendation and screening, while the higher score of the
two BCTs serves as the basis for admission by registration and placement.

Additional options are available for students, as they can also join
the Practical Technical Program, which offers technical training courses
beginning in the third year of junior high school. Upon graduation, they
may enroll in vocational schools that provide a minimum of one additional
year of training.