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An Examination and Evaluation of Postmillennial Early Childhood Education Policies in Taiwan

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Early Childhood Education Policies in Asia Pacific

Part of the book series: Education in the Asia-Pacific Region: Issues, Concerns and Prospects ((EDAP,volume 35))

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Abstract

Since the first kindergarten was established in the late nineteenth century, the early childhood education (ECE) system in Taiwan has steadily evolved into one that aims to support all young children, regardless of their socioeconomic background. Reforms to the ECE system have rapidly increased since the millennium. In this chapter, we examine the ECE policies that have been proposed and implemented in Taiwan from the year 2000 to 2014. Specifically, we review these policies through the 3A2S framework: accessibility, affordability, accountability, sustainability, and social justice. Using the most recent data obtained from the Ministry of Education and other governmental agencies in Taiwan, we describe and analyse the trend of policy changes, examining whether these policy changes have yielded an ECE system that truly better serves the children of Taiwan. Our review indicates that the current governmental reforms have made Taiwanese ECE more accessible, affordable, and accountable to the families of young children, especially those from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. With continued support at the federal and county level, these reforms should be sustainable in the years to come. In summary, the postmillennial governmental policies in Taiwan have vastly improved early childhood education for its future generations.

This research was completed with the help of Yu-wei Lin, Han-wen Liu, and Veronica Ka Wai Lai.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Early Childhood and Elementary Education Division, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong

    Suzannie K. Y. Leung

  2. Division of Social Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Room 2346, Academic Building, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong

    Eva E. Chen

Authors
  1. Suzannie K. Y. Leung
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  2. Eva E. Chen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eva E. Chen .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong

    Hui Li

  2. Department of Early Childhood Education, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea (Republic of)

    Eunhye Park

  3. Department of Early Childhood and Family Studies, Kean University , New Jersey, USA

    Jennifer J. Chen

Appendix

Appendix

3A2S:

Accessibility, affordability, accountability, sustainability, social justice

CAEEA:

Compilation and Administration of Education Expenditures Act

CPI:

Consumer Price Index

DPP:

Democratic Progressive Party

ECE:

Early Childhood Education

ECECA:

Early Childhood Education and Care Act

KMT:

Kuomintang

MOE:

Ministry of Education

MOI:

Ministry of the Interior

NST:

National Statistics of Taiwan

NTD:

New Taiwan Dollar

OECD:

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

SKC:

Standards of Kindergarten Curriculum

USD:

United States Dollar

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Leung, S.K.Y., Chen, E.E. (2017). An Examination and Evaluation of Postmillennial Early Childhood Education Policies in Taiwan. In: Li, H., Park, E., Chen, J. (eds) Early Childhood Education Policies in Asia Pacific. Education in the Asia-Pacific Region: Issues, Concerns and Prospects, vol 35. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-1528-1_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-1528-1_11

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-10-1526-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-10-1528-1

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