The Ministry of Education (MOE) has reengineered technical and vocational education in order to achieve three major objectives—delivering immediate employment to graduates, producing talents needed by industries, and changing negative impressions of technical and vocational education—Minister of Education Wu Se-hwa stated today.
The minister elaborated on the results of this two-phase reengineering on the Executive Yuan's "Open Mic" live webcast hosted by Executive Yuan Spokesperson Sun Lih-chyun.
The second phase (2013-2017) of the reengineering work encompasses nine major strategies: integrating policies, adjusting subjects and departments, selecting talents pragmatically, implementing flexible curricula, renovating facilities, enhancing students' practical skills, linking study with employment, encouraging innovation and startups, and acquiring skill certifications. Among them, the most important task is to increase students' off-campus and even overseas internship opportunities in order to increase their practical skills and reduce the discrepancy between academia and industry. The MOE is also encouraging students to innovate and start up businesses.
Given the incentives provided by the overall policy, in the 2014 school year some 60 percent of students that participated in open (non-exam-based) secondary school admission chose technical and vocational schools as their first priority, Wu pointed out. Furthermore, with the opening of channels for exchanges between higher education and vocational education, 130 more high school students expressed their willingness to apply for technical and vocational education.
To address the discrepancy between learning and practice, the MOE has not only implemented plans to enhance higher education's talent training and linkage with industries, but also driven colleges and universities to set up exchange platforms with industrial unions and entrepreneurial associations. The use of six district industry centers as exchange platforms with industrial associations has helped schools to expand internship opportunities and encourage incumbent teachers to carry out academia-industry collaboration.
Technical and vocational education expenditures have increased every year and are gradually catching up to the outlays of general universities, Wu stated. The total budget for technical and vocational schools and colleges increased from NT$20.76 billion (US$631.19 million) in 2004 to NT$34.02 billion (US$1.03 billion) in 2015. The MOE will continue to allocate funds for strengthening the technical and vocational educational system and its unique characteristics. Depending on the government's overall educational resources and budget, the MOE will work for balanced development of both higher education and technical and vocational education, Wu pledged.
With regard to netizens' questions on related educational laws, Wu stated that the Technical and Vocational Education Act, which came into force on January 14, 2015, and relevant bylaws promulgated this October safeguard students' rights, their common curricula and their internships in businesses. Moreover, teachers are compelled to continue to further their learning and collaboration with industry. Wu hopes the contents of the bylaws will be further implemented in the next school year to highlight the system's characteristics.
As for netizens' questions concerning MAKER, Wu said MAKER is an international trend, a concept of do-it-yourself that is the true spirit of technical and vocational education. Its purpose is to help students not just to make but also to innovate. Wu hopes more people will have this all-new experience and realize do-it-yourself is fun and fulfilling.
The live webcast, which began at 7:00 p.m. and ended at 8:00 p.m, can be viewed on the Executive Yuan's YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCSlT8RUlT0.