Ministry of Education Objectives for 2017 (January-December)

1.Make education adaptable to catch and stimulate students’ interest in learning; provide a diversified range of learning activities and pathways to enable different students to achieve; realize social justice through the equal distribution of educational resources; emphasize citizens’ right to learn rather than their right to a national education; develop a society that benefits everyone, and in which each citizen has equal access to a quality education; deepen our future citizens’ knowledge and understanding; and nurture and enhance their natural talents and abilities.
2.Create an excellent preschool, elementary, and secondary school environment, and gradually expand public educare services; implement the management of school lunches and food safety; and implement and promote the Health-Promoting School Certification Program; allocate educational resources in order to safeguard the right to an education of students in rural areas, of students with disabilities, and of socio-economically disadvantaged and other vulnerable students, thereby addressing social justice concerns.
3.Boost and promote the provision of high-quality education by senior secondary schools and strive to achieve a balance in the quality provided by schools in Taiwan's different regions; promote the development of multiple teaching methods and boost small subject-based group learning in elementary and junior high schools, and work to increase students' willingness to learn and learning outcomes; encourage students to attend a schools close to their home; and progressively implement adaptive learning and completely non exam-based admission to each stage of the 12-Year Basic Education program.
4.Enhance the quality of higher education by encouraging universities to develop their distinctive features, and help them to transform, merge, or close; strive to further improve the quality of technological and vocational education (TVE); narrow the gap between education and the job market, and link TVE with actual industry workplace practices; and link scientific and technological developments with industry requirements, and build a learning environment that brings together the industry, academia, and research sectors.
5.Encourage more young people to gain working experience before they undertake a higher stage of education; provide more opportunities for senior secondary school graduates to explore possible careers; train skilled workers for Taiwan's traditional artisan and regional industries; make it easier for skilled workers to return to formal study; and promote the Youth Education and Employment Development Personal Account project.
6.Train professional teachers who can think independently, and who respect diversity and treat different students equally; include student-centered teaching methods in teacher education; encourage the establishment of professional learning communities (PLCs) which will help teachers to enhance their effective teaching knowledge and skills; and promote mechanisms for inter-school joint teacher appointments to ensure stable educational quality in rural areas.
7.Respect ethnic diversity and encourage the preservation of the languages and cultures of different ethnic groups; pay special attention to providing education for indigenous peoples and new immigrant children; support alternative education, promote experimental education, create opportunities for diversity in teaching and learning; and safeguard citizens’ right to education.
8.Implement gender equality education, life education, human rights and legal education, character education, and environmental education in our schools; prevent and stop on-campus bullying and drug abuse in order to make every campus a friendly, healthy, and safe learning environment.
9.Promote proactive education and nurture the following six core competencies in students: problem-solving, life-aesthetics, knowledge-building, inter-disciplinary integration, multi-faceted creativity, and teamwork spirit; enhance students' knowledge and ability to live in society and their critical thinking ability.
10.Integrate social resources and assist community colleges and other institutions to continue to offer a wide range of courses, focusing on fostering citizen awareness, valuing local cultures, developing social innovation, and the exploration of multiple competencies, with the goal of promoting and establishing a lifelong learning society.
11.Encourage young people to explore career options and expand their experience of workplaces; urge young people to participate in public affairs, and establish multiple communication channels between the government, youth groups, and other social groups; encourage young people to take part in international affairs and events, to travel abroad widely and expand their international experience, and to be personally concerned about global issues.
12.Make good use of the established communication channels of the Physical Education and Sports Development Committee when planning national physical education and sports policies; continue assisting with the planning and coordination for the 2017 Taipei Summer Universiade, to expand Taiwan’s international visibility; foster private sector development of local sports and of the local leisure industry, and thereby encourage more citizens to participate in sports.
13.Enhance physical education in schools, colleges, and universities and increase the number of professional coaches teaching physical education classes; strengthen the system of having athletic directors in government agencies and organizations; increase our national physical fitness level, and encourage citizens to do more regular exercise; develop a comprehensive athletic training and counseling system to further enhance our nation's excellence in competitive sports; and put into effect a career planning program for our athletes.