Ministry to expand high-school language subsidies

• By Rachel Lin / Staff reporter, with staff writer

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The Ministry of Education has expanded subsidies for local language programs at public high schools, starting retroactively from Aug. 1, it said on Friday.

Local governments can receive annual subsidies of NT$300,000 to NT$900,000, depending on the number of schools in their jurisdiction, the ministry said.

The funds are for paying the hourly wages of language-teaching support staff, language instructor training and certification, and classroom materials, it said.

Language Preservation Award recipient and Chiayi Girls’ Senior High School teacher Mo’o E’ucna teaches Tsou to a class in an undated photograph.

Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Education

Schools with local language programs are authorized to receive subsidies for the hourly wages and transportation costs of part-time instructors, as well as for labor and health insurance, it said.

The instructors’ hourly wages should be the same as the rate for part-time and substitute teachers at public schools, the ministry said.

Transportation subsidies range from NT$2,000 to NT$10,000 per person per year, depending on whether they work in or out of jurisdiction and the number of schools they work for, it said.

Instructors working at four or more townships receive NT$8,000 and another NT$2,000 if one or more of the townships are in a legally designated “remote area,” the ministry said.

The policy does not include transportation subsidies for indigenous language instructors, who are governed by a separate program, the ministry said.

The K-12 Education Administration to provide educators subsidies for taking intermediate or advanced language teaching certification tests, it said.

Teachers who have obtained language teaching certificates and taught classes last year are eligible for a subsidy of up to NT$10,000 for educational materials, student rewards and miscellaneous equipment, the ministry said.

The total amount of subsidies a school could receive under the scheme are capped at NT$50,000 a year, it said.

Each school can receive up to NT$30,000 for field trips related native culture, heritage sites, art and the environment, or professional training classes for educators, the ministry said.