Foreword EDUCATION IN TAIWAN (Formosa) is based mostly on official reports of the Ministry of Education published in Taiwan, including other official and private reports which are not yet published. The text has been supplemented with additional data and information obtained from other official sources and through interviews with Chinese educators who have visited the author's office in Washington. This bulletin attempts to give a brief picture of the educational system in Taiwan at the present time. In presenting this information, both time and space should be taken into consideration. Traditions, ideas, or principles underlying the present educational system in Taiwan are similar to those which existed in the Chinese mainland prior to the Communist regime. In addition, most of the teachers, educators, and other school authorities in Taiwan who are responsible for the conduct of education in that country are products of the rich traditions and the culture of China. Education on the island also owes a debt to the Japanese whose occupation ended with the liberation of Formosa. Among the nations of the world, China has had one of the longest histories; many centuries of tradition and important political and social upheavals have caused many changes both in methodology and curricula. Western and other foreign impacts have also influenced Chinese education. The American influence through Christian missionary activities in the field of education has been important. While the data include certain information needed by school authorities in dealing with student transfers, it is hoped that the scope of the material presented is comprehensive enough to be useful to scholars in the field of comparative education and others who are actively engaged in international educational affairs in official or private capacity. OLIVER J. CALDWELL, Assistant Commissioner for International Education. BESS GOODYKOONTZ, Director, International Educational Relations. Education in Taiwan (Formosa) Taiwan and Her People Taiwan, or Free China, which is better known in the United States. by its Portuguese name, Formosa, is a beautiful island located in the western Pacific, less than 100 miles east of the South China coast. Taiwan is about 240 miles in length and 90 miles at the greatest width. It has an area of about 14,000 square miles, a little larger than the States of Connecticut and Vermont combined. There are 5 municipalities and 16 (hsien) counties. In addition to the main island, Taiwan Province includes 13 islands in the Taiwan group and 63 in the Penghu group, also known as the Pescadores. Taiwan was an integral part of the Chinese Empire in ancient times. The Portuguese, Spanish, and Dutch made attempts to colonize the island at the end of the 16th century and the early part of the 17th century. However, in the latter part of the 17th century, Manchu rule was extended from the China mainland to Taiwan and that rule continued for some 200 years. After the Sino-Japanese War of 189495, the island was ceded to Japan and remained a Japanese colony until 1945. In 1945, after World War II, the island again became a Chinese province. When the National Government withdrew from the China mainland in 1949-50, Taipei became the capital of Free China. This capital city is located at the northern end (see map) of the island, 18 miles inland from Keelung, which is the main northern port. The country is largely agricultural with rice and sugar being its most valuable products for export. The island is also rich in trees of economic importance, the chief source of natural camphor, half of the world's supply being distilled there. A high grade of tea is also grown in the country. Pineapples are canned on a large scale, only Hawai and Malaya exceeding Formosa's export in volume. Bananas and lumber are also exported. The other products include sweet potatoes, peanuts, citronella, citrus fruits, and vegetables. Manufacturing industries in general are small and many of them are old. The island has a large oil refinery and some textile mills. Climate. The climate is subtropical with the highest temperature registered at 100.4° F. From May through September, the tempera ture is somewhat hot and humid. Humidity is high throughout most of the year. The summer season, comparatively long but usually breezy, lasts from May to September, while the winter season, short and mild, extends from December to February. Rainfall is heavy in the north. The average rainfall is approximately 100 inches for the island. The typhoon season extends from May until October and is at its height during July and August. Situated in the seismic zone of the Pacific, Taiwan is subject to numerous earthquakes, most of which are hardly noticeable. People. According to the latest census (October 1954), Taiwan has an estimated population of 8,438,016, not including the members of the armed forces on active duty. Of this total, 4,326,708 are males and 4,111,308 females; the birth rate is recorded at 4.439 percent and the death rate at 0.925 percent. The populations in the chief cities are as follows: Taipei (capital), 662,380; Taichung, 228,154; Tainan, 261,700; Keelung, 182,297; and Kaohsiung, 329,790 (see map). A majority of the population, estimated at 7,000,000 are native Taiwanese. These Taiwanese with the exception of 150,000 aborigines are the descendants of mainland Chinese who migrated hundreds of years ago from the coast of Fukien and Kwangtung. Despite 50 years of Japanese rule, 95 percent of the population remains Chinese. The early settlers from Kwangtung were the Hakkas, a frontier people; the migrants from Fukien were called Puntis. The aborigines are found for the most part on the eastern side of Taiwan. These aborigines comprise a large number of tribes, some with Indonesian characteristics, and speak languages of the Malayo-Polynesian group of tongues. The native Taiwanese speak mostly a dialect which is related to that of Amoy. Since 1949, Mandarin has replaced the Japanese language in the schools. As a result of long Japanese occupation, most adults. speak Japanese as a second language. The principal religions or beliefs are: Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Christianity. The Taiwanese often dress in western style clothes, but many of the mainland Chinese adhere to their traditional costume. Health conditions.-Like many countries in Asia, Taiwan does not conform with all western ideas of sanitation. Therefore, in order to guard one's health, one avoids drinking unboiled water and eating raw foods. A number of other safeguards are taken, and such precautions as are necessary soon become habitual. The city of Taipei has a municipal water supply, a sewerage system in some parts of the city, a health department, and conditions in general are controlled to such an extent that no widespread epidemies have occurred in recent years. Attacks of mild dysentery, however, are common among American personnel. In some parts of the island, tuberculosis, trachoma, and malaria are commonly found; and in certain districts children are not allowed to go barefooted, because of the possibility of contracting hookworm. Taiwan Under Japanese Rule Formosa was under the Japanese from 1895 to 1945. During this period the island was developed into an important military and naval base, and also as an important source of foodstuffs and other raw materials for the homeland. As a new colonial power, the Japanese at that time were eager to make their venture a success not only for profit, but also to gain repute among other colonizing powers. Under the supervision of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Formosa was set up as an integral part of the Imperial Japanese Government. Under a highly centralized administration, the Japanese Government had adopted a policy of "Japanization" of the Formosan Chinese. This program was intensified after the outbreak of war with China in 1937. Measures were adopted to encourage the use of the Japanese language and to discourage the use of local Chinese dialects. A school system which was very similar to that of the Japanese both in content and organization, from elementary school through an Imperial university located at Taipai, was organized. In all the schools the Japanese language was made the medium of instruction; even the newspapers were published in Japanese. Generally, the educational policy adopted for the island had as its major purpose the inculcation in the people of a loyalty to the Japanese Government. The Taiwanese children could study their own written language only at home in small groups and after school hours, but they did not have much incentive to do this, because even the weekly newspapers were in Japanese. According to available accounts, under an effective school system established by the Japanese, about 80 percent of Taiwanese could read and write. Under the Japanese occupation, Taiwanese also learned what can be accomplished toward increasing productive power and improving standards of living through largescale, efficiently conducted, systematic, and cooperative efforts. Historical Background For two thousand years, the structure of the Chinese Government was based on the basic teachings of Confucius and Mencious. Confucius has been held in reverence by every student and is always considered as the Teacher of the Teachers. His birthday on September 28, has been proclaimed by the Government as the Teacher Day. In the earlier days, the Government took no part in education, but held examinations on the basis of Confucian writings. Only those who were qualified from the District, Provincial, and Central Examination could become chancellors, cabinet ministers, governors, and magistrates. As a result, only scholars could attain honor and 379695-56-2 |