The high-school admission system in Hsinchu and Miaoli counties faces differing expectations from parents depending on where they live, whether they are in the city or the county, leading to contrasting opinions on score assessments. Parents in metropolitan areas clearly prefer adopting a more meticulous scoring system, while those in rural areas hope for additional points for schools in remote areas so that children can attend their ideal schools.
The Ministry of Education’s original goal in implementing assessments at junior high schools was not to use them as a standard for high-school admission, but to conduct an examination of students’ learning results to use as a basis for remedial education.
The idea was to place emphasis on students’ educational attainment and learning outcomes upon entering school. However, due to intense opposition from parents of students attending prestigious metropolitan high schools, the government had no choice but to use the assessment program for high-school admission.
From the perspective of high schools, the more meticulous a scoring system, the more they are able to select exceptional students. This enables them to attract top talent each year and blurs society’s impressions of whether it is the students that are remarkable or the education offered at the school.
For parents, the issue is more that they are able to cling to hopes of their child attending a prestigious school.
Programs such as the Senior High School Actualization Program and those encouraging educational equity in addition to diverse methods for college admission have greatly encouraged students to attend local community high schools.
Community high schools are thriving in regions all over Taiwan. Many junior-high students with outstanding academic performance choose to stay local and attend a community high school. Additionally, several cases have proven that students of equal standard have a greater chance of getting into a top university when they choose to attend community high schools rather than prestigious high schools farther away.
Therefore parents should give up the shiny allure of prestigious schools and focus on their child’s balanced development by selecting a local school. A child’s academic achievement stems from their hard work and effort, not from their school’s reputation. This would enable them to achieve a more specialized education and secure a position in the job market.
Chen Chi-nung is principal of Shuili Junior High School in Nantou County.
Translated by Kyra Gustavsen
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