W.I.S.T. TIMES Ministry of Education over-schedules students’ classes

By Ashley Chang

Staff Reporter

Each day when I take the bus home after nine periods on campus, everyone is taking naps and looks as if they have passed out. Missing our stop has become a routine for most of us who are all too often busy sleeping. And yet in August 2022, the Ministry of Education announced that “even eight class periods a day is too much for students”. For the past six years I thought nine periods a day was the norm, but meanwhile students at other schools have less than eight class periods to manage. Why is this?

The issue of over-scheduling students’ classes is unfortunate, as according to the Ministry of Education, “the maximum number of classes per week is 35 periods, including compulsory and elective courses, group activity time and flexible learning time.” The maximum daily class arrangement is seven 50-minute periods. Even with the regulations on extracurricular periods, there should not be more than 90 periods each semester, yet many schools still maintain a schedule with more than eight periods of class each day. On the surface, it seems like it’s the schools’ fault for packing students’ schedules as tightly as possible, but in the bigger picture, the real issue lies with the Ministry of Education.

The Ministry has promised to send supervisors periodically to ensure schools are complying with the rule, but due to a lack of human resources, the supervisors don’t have time to spend an entire school day with students. They stay in one school for only a few hours, and during that time the students are told to “behave themselves.” On paper, the Ministry of Education promises students a fair and balanced education, but without strong supervision, we see that only a few public schools, such as the Taichung First Senior High and Taichung Girls’ Senior High, are in accordance with the law. Other schools such as Mingdao High School and Hong Wen Senior High School still have eight periods per day.

It’s understandable that, with over 3,000 schools in Taiwan, the Ministry needs an overwhelming amount of labor to keep its eyes on every school. It’s also understandable that schools are stuck between the regulations and the parents. However, it is unbearable that the students are neglected when they are the ones whom the law affects.

The Ministry of Education’s main purpose is to facilitate students’ proper education while maintaining their well-being. But with all the loopholes built into the system, not only is the government lying to students, it’s also taking away free time that belongs to them. Students who stay in school for nine hours a day are victims of time theft. Education is important, but over-scheduling classes fails to promote a better quality of education. By enforcing their own rules, the Ministry will achieve its goals of promoting student well-being, namely by reducing unnecessary stress for students, and by allowing extra time for students to pursue their extracurricular interests.

To solve this long-avoided issue, the Ministry of Education should implement a long-term supervisor to guarantee that the law is being applied thoroughly. The Ministry should also review each school’s daily schedule and make sure that no school violates the law by requiring extra periods. As for students, we should find the courage to speak up for ourselves. Complaining without action is meaningless, but through concerted grassroot efforts, real change is possible.