Overseas Chinese Education

2005-01-23

Helping overseas Chinese seek further education in Taiwan

Overseas Chinese education policy has had a long history since the founding of the republic. The MOE realizes that without overseas Chinese, there would be no overseas Chinese affairs. In 1929, the MOE set up the Overseas Chinese Education Design Committee. After the central government moved to Taiwan, the overseas Chinese education policy has continued. Overseas Chinese are assisted in seeking further education in Taiwan. As of 2004, over 160,000 overseas Chinese have sought further education in Taiwan. Most of them are from Southeast Asia, HK and Macao. In order to help low-income overseas Chinese come to study without economic difficulties, the MOE in 1976 drew up the Guidelines for Issuing Allowances to Low-Income Students. In 2004, the MOE drew up the Essentials for Grants to Low-Income Students. The dual track of allowances and grants for low-income students was eventually replaced by grants for low-income students. Each year, over 3,100 students receive grants.

Establishing overseas Taiwan schools

In the 1990s, the government introduced the “move south” policy. More and more Taiwan businesses invested overseas. In order to solve the education problems of their children, Taiwan businesses raised money to set up six overseas Taiwan schools in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam. The schools are in nature an extension of Taiwan’s national education system. Since January 1998, the MOE began helping the schools, funding construction of school buildings, purchasing teaching equipment, and facilitating processing of school affairs. In January 2002, the Ministry of the Interior agreed to regard overseas Taiwan schools as schools in remote areas. Substitute-service conscripts for the first time were sent to teach at overseas Taiwan schools to ease the problem of insufficient teachers. In February 2003, the president revised and announced the Private School Act, giving overseas Taiwan schools a legal basis. In March 2005, the Rules Governing the Establishment and Guidance of Overseas Taiwan Schools were drawn up to improve the guidance and management of overseas Taiwan schools.