The Ministry of Education is to offer subsidies to civic groups, and public and private universities as a part of a program to link family education with outdoor activities.
The subsidies would allow groups and universities to host day-long family outdoor education events with family education making up at least one-third of the event.
Department for Lifelong Education Director-General Yang Ya-ting (楊雅婷) said that civic groups could receive 50 percent subsidies for hiring staff, material costs, venue and equipment rental fees, food expenditure and insurance.
Photo: Lin Hsiao-yun, Taipei Times
The events should include and prioritize individuals in greater need of family education services, such as those who are economically disadvantaged, physically or mentally challenged, or those whose ethnic group is in need of assistance, Yang said.
Each project would receive a maximum subsidy of NT$30,000, with participants being capped at 20 to 30 people, she said, adding that the application deadline is tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the ministry’s K-12 Education Administration said that it has had 159 kindergartens participate in its trial counseling program for inclusive education since 2020.
The K-12 Administration said its program aims to implement the spirit of the UN’s Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities — allowing those who are physically or mentally challenged to enjoy equal rights to education.
To achieve such a goal, kindergartens or schools would need to have inclusive education knowledge, such as introducing gross motor skills development activities, stepped-up interaction between parents and teachers, and other means so that every facet of an Individualized Educational Program becomes routine, it said.
The head of Taipei’s nonprofit Yung Chien Kindergarten, Lin Yi-hung (林意紅), said gross motor skill development would reduce the risk of pushing and shoving, and that successful activities allow children with special needs to become more coordinated and confident about their studies.
Nangang Kindergarten principal Yang Chi-min (楊繼敏) touted parent-teacher activities so parents can observe and participate in their child’s education, making parents the most important partners of teachers.
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