Page 7 - ELG1807 July Issue 459

NEWS
TAIWAN SPLASHES CASH ON ENGLISH- PRIVATE DUBAI
SCHOOLS TAKE IN
MEDIUM UNIVERSITY COURSES SYRIAN REFUGEES
By Federica Tedeschi
Seven Syrian refugee children who
By Federica Tedeschi fled war with their families are
The Taiwanese ministry of Kenttai attending independent schools in
education has spent the Dubai.
equivalent of £100 million The two groups of siblings
(NT$4 billion) in a bid to boost arrived at sister schools Safa
the number of English language Community School and the Safa
courses in four of their top- British School in 2016 with no
ranking universities, the Taipei English at all but are now all doing
Times reports. well in mainstream education, the
At present only 10 per cent Khaleej Times reports.
of undergraduate courses, on The principal of the British
average, are run in English, School, Zara Harrington, said that
according to the newspaper. these children ‘have gone from
The funding has been invested not being able to communicate in
in academic programmes as well English to being able to stand in
as on the ‘Yushan Project’, which front of their class, their peers and
is specifically aimed at recruiting assemblies’.
and retaining competent Stephen Duckitt, principal at the
academics while guaranteeing The National Taiwan Community School, stressed that
them appropriate salaries. University the intensive one-to-one English
Despite the number of teachers support the children have been
from English-speaking countries receiving has made the difference.
at National Taiwan University, teaching in English to position newspaper reported. According The school contacted the
National Cheng Kung University, themselves internationally, they to the survey, 48 per cent of children’s families after reading
National Tsing Hua University are also cautious, the ministry parents think cram schools and how they fled Syria and faced
and National Chiao Tung added. The move comes amid after-school programmes are financial struggles in the local
University, many students are the publication of a Shin Hsin more efficient in teaching English newspaper 7Days. The children,
not keen on choosing subjects University survey that revealed than regular schools. who missed school for two years
taught in English, according to 69 per cent of primary and junior When asked why they wanted because of the war, received free
the ministry. high school parents have opted their children to learn English, uniforms and books along with free
It said students’ reluctance to for English cram schools or other nearly 40 per cent of parents tuition; the youngest child only
take courses conducted in English after-school programmes to make mentioned globalisation, and joined this academic year.
was due to concerns over their sure their children learn English. 37.9 per cent said it would The schools, which usually
ability to follow the curriculum A slightly lower proportion, guarantee employment. charge fees, have offered to
and perform well at university. 64 per cent, said that English More than 32 per cent said it provide the young students with
While all universities education in Taiwan’s schools was a ticket to higher education free education in Dubai until they
acknowledge the relevance of was inadequate, the Focus Taiwan in Taiwan. graduate.
Cameroon’s ‘deadly cycle of violence’ over

Anglophone regions

By Federica Tedeschi armed Anglophone separatists
The escalation of violence in after they refused to participate in
Cameroon’s English speaking boycotting schools.
regions over the last year has been Residents of Cameroon’s
described as ‘unlawful, excessive Anglophone areas, which are
and unnecessary’ by Amnesty located in the northwest and
International. southwest regions of the country,
According to a recent report make up 20 per cent of the whole National Day celebration last The armed separatist forces are
from the human rights group, population. Residents said that month, with two policemen killed against Cameroon’s independence
‘security forces have tortured over the last 60 years they have and soldiers wounded. celebrations. A separate state
people, including children, by suffered systematic violation of A mayor and his deputy from of ‘Ambazonia’, which English
beating, electrocuting and burning’. their educational and legal system, an English-speaking town were speakers have been trying to set up
It also claims students and the BBC reports. kidnapped by suspected armed since 1967, seems a long way from
teachers have been attacked by Violence also ruined Cameroon’s separatists, according to AP News. receiving official recognition.

editorial@elgazette.com 7

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