Taiwan: On native-language rights and rewards

[Francis Hult]

Taipei Times

 

On native-language rights and rewards

 

An Academia Sinica report entitled Social Ambitions of the Taiwanese Public, 2004 found that 65 percent of Taiwanese support mother-tongue education in schools. The ethnic group most in favor were the Hakka, whose support reached 74 percent. 

 

Despite this strong support for native language training, the issue is frequently distorted by ideological concerns, the most common claim being that the call for native language training itself is ideologically motivated.

Even Chen Po-chang (???), director of the Preparatory Office of the National Academy for Educational Research, has expressed criticism, saying that a recent decision to make native languages an elective subject in a compulsory language course that also offers English was a political decision and not based on expertise.

There is concern in education circles that this set-up will encourage students to choose English and that native language training will disappear from the elementary school curriculum.

 

Full story:

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2009/06/13/2003446020

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