Three to four secondary and primary schools expected to cease operation in next five years, Choi Yuk-lin says
The Secretary for Education, Choi Yuk-lin, said today (Sept. 1) in a radio program that a structural decline in the school-aged population is expected to continue.
Over the next five years, according to her, it is anticipated that three to four secondary and primary schools will gradually cease operations, including some temporary schools established to accommodate the increase in cross-border students.
Choi emphasized that the government will not actively close schools and expressed concern about the potential negative impacts of schools competing for students due to insufficient enrollment. She noted that such competition could disrupt school planning and increase the workload for teachers.
The Secretary also outlined the government's plans to fully implement a small class policy, which has currently achieved approximately 85% completion. It is expected that 32 schools will join the small class initiative after this year, with an additional nine schools anticipated to join next year.
This, she noted, would leave about 20 schools that have not yet adopted the small-class model. However, the delay in implementation for these schools is primarily due to considerations regarding local enrollment capacity. Choi cautioned that forcibly reducing class sizes could lead to a more unstable teaching environment.
When asked about the attention to the sexuality education component within the Civic, Economic, and Social Development (CESD) curriculum, Choi responded that the teaching examples provided are merely reference suggestions for optimizing junior secondary curricula, not formal educational policy. She clarified that the curriculum is aimed at students aged approximately 12 to 14 years, emphasizing the importance of instilling correct notions of sexuality.
"It is vital for students to learn how to protect themselves, respect others, and take responsibility for their actions, which are essential concepts to impart."
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