The Ministry of Education (MOE) concluded a two-day review Wednesday by announcing that it has ordered one private school to close and placed six others on a “watch list” due to their poor performance, requiring them to improve within a set period of time or face the same fate.
According to the ministry, the seven problematic schools are TransWorld University, MingDao University, Kao Yuan University, Tatung Institute of Technology, Taiwan Shoufu University, Chung Chou University of Science and Technology and Fortune Institute of Technology.
The schools were previously placed on the “watch list” by the MOE as a result of their poor performance, but the list was not made public until Wednesday. Being on the list means the schools face restrictions such as not being able to recruit foreign students, offer extension education programs and face financial supervision.
The announcement came after Taiwan passed a law in May this year that aims to shutter under-performing private schools.
Among the schools, Fortune Institute of Technology has the worst financial situation and academic standards and was ordered to close by next May.
As Taiwan Shoufu University was only added to the list after the new law was passed, it was given until May 31, 2024 to improve its performances. The other five schools must do so by May 31, 2023, according to the MOE.
The announcement reflects Taiwan’s oversupply of higher education amid a falling number of students, due to the low birth rate.
Some of the schools have even been embroiled in scandals, such as Chung Chou University of Science and Technology, which used Ugandan students enrolled there in 2019 as “interns” working long hours with low pay.
In response to the announcement, Chung Chou University said it will make improvements while ensuring that the rights of students and university employees are not compromised.
Meanwhile, the National Federation of Teachers Unions, R.O.C. said that schools where there is no indication of improvement should be closed.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel