Taiwan Today
Date: December 12, 2016
Southeast Asian languages will be included as elective subjects in school curriculums beginning from
the 2018 academic year, according to the K-12 Education Administration under the Ministry of Education Dec. 10.
Under the current system, elementary school students are required to study a native language—Holo, Hakka or an indigenous tongue. They may then opt to continue their chosen subject in junior high school.
From 2018, various Southeast Asian languages will be added to this list. Students who select a Southeast Asian tongue will have the option to persist with it in junior and senior high school.
“The introduction of these languages will help bolster cross-cultural understanding between Taiwan and countries throughout Southeast Asia,” said an official at the K-12 Education Administration. “This should provide Taiwan with greater opportunities for collaboration with nations in the region.” [FULL STORY]