Taipei Times
Date: Apr 11, 2015
By: Lin Hsiao-Yun and Chen Wei-han  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer

The Ministry of Education’s (MOE) recent reinstatement of calligraphy to curriculum guidelines and decision to allocate NT$4 million (US$128,000) to set up calligraphy centers in 24 elementary and middle schools across the nation has produced mixed reactions from legislators and educators.

Academics said calligraphy education has been seen as less important since the implementation in 2004 of the Nine-Year Educational Program — which allowed schools partial autonomy in establishing curricula — adding that the then-Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration underestimated the importance of calligraphy and its place within Chinese culture.

However, calligraphy education was viewed with greater significance when President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) came to power in 2008, they said.     [FULL  STORY]