Promotion of local education, Zhuwei Junior High is to reform next year
[New Taipei City News] Concerning on the needs of the numbers of high schools in Tamsui District, and realizing the necessity for establishment of community high school(s) there, Mayor Chu went to Tamsui District to inspect, and debrief today. He formally announced that Zhuwei Junior High school will be converted into a complete Secondary school next year and will begin to enroll on August 1st, academic year 101.
Mayor Chu said that, there are only three Junior and Vocational schools in Tamsui District, which are National Tamsui Vocational school, Tamkang High school and Scared Heart High school for girls. There is only an limited number of 1700 students can be enrolled every year. In the old Taipei County age, we have had applied to Education Department for increasing numbers of High schools in Tamsui District, but we failed due to the low birth rate and enough numbers of High school in the District.
Mayor Chu emphasized that gather all the children together is not appropriate, and also letting the children from Tamsui District go to High Schools in Banqiao or Xindian District is not a good idea, either. After assuming office, he immediately requested Education Department to re-examine the regional division, the population growth, and so other factors to meet the goal of 12-year fundamental education and local education.
From Education Department’s study, five to seven years is required to establish a new high school, but if we convert to complete secondary school, schools could starts enrolling in August next year. Zhuwei Junior High school meets all requirements. Therefore, the city government decided to proceed immediately to reform Zhuwei Junior High school into a Complete Secondary school.
After reformation of Zhuwei Junior High, Mayor Chu promised that in any case of that on August 1st next year will begin the enrollment. He said that Zhuwei Junior High has excellent natural conditions, geographical location, etc. With so many advantages, the next achievement of Zhuwei Junior High is becoming an excellent Community High school in Tamsui District.
Mayor Chu believes that the implementation of the 12-year fundamental education, there will be very fewer elite high schools. For his own experience living in New York for years in New York, he said that the city has more than 10 million people, but there are only 3 to 4 elite high schools and the others are mostly high-quality community schools. That is the spirit of education.
Principal of Zhuwei Junior High school, Lin Meizhen said that there are around three thousand junior high students from seven different junior high schools graduate in Tamsui District but only 40% of them are able to go to the local high schools. After the reformation, it will enable more local students to study in place. Depending on the situation of local development and school-age population in the future, we shall adjust the numbers of classes for junior and senior students, and additional renovation work or school.
Today, we also have the New Taipei City Congress men Lv Zichang, Cai Jinxian, Zheng Daili and local people, etc.