The recent announcement by the Ministry of Education that it intended to make what it termed the “basic materials of Chinese Culture” — the “Four Books” — required course material for high school students is sparking divided reactions among teachers who fear it will place an extra burden on an already struggling system.
The high school Chinese cultural studies materials draft act announced by the ministry was in response to widespread bullying, drug use and gang problems among young people. Vice -Minister of Education Chen Yi-hsing (陳益興) recently said the situation had become “a worrisome social problem.”
The “Four Books” refer to the Doctrine of the Mean (中庸), Great Learning (大學), Analects of Confucius (論語) and Mencius (孟子), chosen by Zhu Xi (朱熹) in the Sung dynasty as an introduction to Confucian theories and ideas.
Participants at recent public hearings held by the ministry on the draft act confirmed the function of the basic cultural studies materials and said that the “Four Books” were the core of Chinese culture. However, they said the ministry should seek to resolve problems associated with the execution of the plan.
Opponents of the proposal say that while they do not oppose the material per se, it would put additional pressure on students.
A teacher and member of the National Teacher’s Association, Chang Chen-shou (張仁壽), said he worried whether students would be able to take in what was taught.
“I’m a physics teacher myself and sometimes my students don’t do well not because they are bad at physics, but simply because they don’t understand the question being asked,” Chang said.
Chang also questioned the effects of cultural material on students’ morals, adding that with the sudden addition of such materials as compulsory courses to the curriculum, schools would be compelled to reorganize schedules and hire new teachers.
“Currently, the birthrate is decreasing. Where are these teachers going to go when they have no more students?” Chang asked.
National Taiwan Normal University professor Wu Wu-tien (吳武典) said most educational sectors tacitly agreed with teaching cultural materials, as long as the materials agreed with Confucius’ own directive of “keeping up with the times.”
Wu said opposition was more concerned with the technical -aspects of the issue, such as curriculum organization.
With 12-years of mandatory education about to replace the current nine-year program, it’s time we sat down and reviewed the curriculums anyway, Wu said.
A master’s student nicknamed “Xiao Wei” (小薇) said she was indifferent to the introduction of the “Four Books,” as she had already studied them on her own.
However, she said that after seeing some of the material, she had difficulty buying claims by the ministry that the material would be taught in a “lively manner.”
“It still looks pretty rigid to me and it doesn’t spark interest. If they used anecdotal stories, I’m sure it would make the cultural material much more practical,” she said.
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) yesterday appealed to the authorities to release former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) from pretrial detention amid conflicting reports about his health. The TPP at a news conference on Thursday said that Ko should be released to a hospital for treatment, adding that he has blood in his urine and had spells of pain and nausea followed by vomiting over the past three months. Hsieh Yen-yau (謝炎堯), a retired professor of internal medicine and Ko’s former teacher, said that Ko’s symptoms aligned with gallstones, kidney inflammation and potentially dangerous heart conditions. Ko, charged with