Quality senior high and vocational schools found in the neighborhood

This may become a reality after the Ministry launches the Senior High and Vocational School Improvement Program. The Ministry has been making aggressive preparations to improve schools of lower quality until all schools are of comparable, desired quality, particularly senior high and vocational schools, in a bid to pave the way for 12-year national education in the future.

The Ministry launched the Program in school year 2007. With the Program, senior high and vocational schools in a given area with the potential for development were selected and assisted to improve their teaching quality and environment based on the area's ratios of agricultural population, low-income population, and public school enrollment population to the area's total population.

School year 2007 was the year in which the Program was first introduced. A total of 118 schools (66 senior high schools and 52 vocational schools) were chosen for upgrade assistance. In school year 2008, the preliminary review selected 112 schools. An additional 73 schools were chosen in the second review. In school year 2008, a total of 191 schools have been selected and included in the Program.

Most of the schools taking part in the Program have actively implemented the Program. In order for the schools to share their experience with each other, the Ministry in school year 2008 held experience-sharing events in northern, central, southern and eastern Taiwan. Schools taking part in the Program in school year 2007 shared their experience with each other in terms of raising administrative efficiency, developing the school's courses, honing teachers' professional skills, improving aptitude-specific courses, promoting crafts education, facilitating cooperation between school and industry, encouraging students to enroll in a nearby school, and promoting independent school administration. All vocational schools in the area were invited to raise the overall quality of participating schools.

The objective of the Program is to encourage students to enroll in a school near them so that they can enjoy quality education without having to travel far and away. The Program has been well received by most schools. It enables schools to improve their environment and quality and to cultivate students that excel.