Support local identities in schoolsBy Hsiao Chia-hung 蕭嘉弘For this academic year’s university admissions, more than 300 university departments are assessing applicants based on a single subject, out of which 189 departments would consider only Chinese language and literature. Local languages, meanwhile, have long been left out in the cold within the Taiwanese education system. Just as English emphasizes reading and writing assessments, introducing local languages into the testing system would also likely begin with literacy tests. High school is designed to prepare students for university, and local languages are already a mandatory subject. It would be a win-win for applicants and selection committees alike, and provide an impetus and stronger resolve for students studying local languages.
