What I would like to share now is purely my opinion by comparing education system in two countries. The one is Taiwan, a country in which I plan to continue my study, while the other one is a country which I believe will represents a very different education system with the previous one. The comparation will not blindly only based on the country education system as it's visible on the surface. I'll try to dig deeper into the cultural root that the country inherits since I believe that every human action is a manifestation of their mind which is formed by a set of cultural beliefs. In some region it's also strongly affected by religional beliefs. Therefore, some of brief history topics will also be included here.
TAIWAN FACTS
Let's start with a small discussion about our small island Asian country, Taiwan, or maybe some will more familiar with the name of Republic of China (ROC). Our international society sometimes would still put a pressure for Taiwan by labelling them with another name of Chinese Taipei, which Taiwanese actually prefer to never acknowledge this name as their country name, in their international event participation. We may recall it from the 2012 London Olympics event where Taiwan forced to use Chinese Taipei name & Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee dummy flag to represents their athletes. Due to this international political disadvantages, some of us may perceive a very wrong assumption for Taiwan as a powerless little country, while the fact is actually far from that. I personally know a friend which open her eyes wide and ask me, "Why do you want to study there? Isn't the condition there not far from here? They still struggling with their high unemployment rate, right?"
I always believe that successful education system will lead to successful society which is in this context a country. Let's see below for some interesting fact of successful Taiwan which will open our eyes & realise how absurd is above question.
- Taiwan is one of the Four Asian Tigers along with Hongkong, South-Korea, and Singapore.
- Taiwan gain 20th position of largest economy in the world based on CIA World Factbook - GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) 2012. As a comparison, South-Korea is 13th, Hongkong is 36th, and Singapore is 41th.
- Taiwan as the 20th freest economy in the world (5th in Asia-Pacific) based on Economic Freedom Score 2013. The variable to determine this rank include Rule of Law, Limited Government, Regulatory Efficiency, and Open Market.
- Taiwan retained it's 13th rank in the world and 4th rank in Asia based on Global Competitiveness Report 2012-2013 by World Economic Forum (WEF). Along with four other ratings (3rd in overall investment environment by BERI (Business Environment Risk Intelligence), 7th in IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook, 1st in enterpreneurship based on IMD report, and as the 16th most improved economy for Ease Doing Business), WEF rating makes Taiwan a good choice for investment.
- Taiwan provides the 9th best educational system worldwide based on Legatum Institute report.
- National Taiwan University as a top university in Taiwan, placed 134th in The Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2012-2013.
- Hsinchu Science Park has been called Taiwan's Silicon Valley. Silicon Valley is home to many of the world's largest technology corporation in San Fransisco, U.S.
- The world's largest semiconductor company, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), provides it's product to high-tech companies such as Advanced Micro Devices, Marvell, NVIDIA, Intel, Apple, etc. So, chips for Apple's next generation iPads and iPhones are supplied by TSMC.
- The world's 2nd largest semiconductor company also hold by Taiwan company, United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC).
- Don't forget of some famous Taiwan brands such as Acer Inc., ASUS, BenQ, China Airlines, Chinatrust Commercial Bank, D-Link, Genius, Gigabyte Technology, HTC Corporation, UMAX Technologies, etc.
- JP Morgan analyst Alvin Kwock noted that over 80% of the world's notebook computer design is outsourced to Taiwan. (Boston World News, 2008).
- Kingston Technology headquartered in U.S. is actually founded by Taiwanese expatriat.
- Yahoo! and Youtube, also headquartered in U.S., both are co-founded by Taiwanese expatriat.
From above list, we can see actually how excel is Taiwan in the subject of economy and technology, which is of course can not be separated from it's successful education system. I've also noted that Taiwan also successfully develop advanced military technology, but I will not include it here for now and just consider it as a part of Taiwan's advanced technology. Then, how could an independent country with rapid economic growth and advanced technology development can't even use it's own official flag to participate in olympic games? To answer these question, we need to take a look back to a piece of China history more than a century ago in 1911.
Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) as the last imperial dynasty in China has became more and more corrupted each day. While the imperial government seems to be very reluctant to change and people's hope of reformation is unlikely to happen, a scholar community led by a doctor named Sun Yat-Sen beguns to emerge. In the middle of mass dissapointment of imperial government weaknesses which compounded by inheritance of emperor throne by a 2 years old boy, Aisin-Gioro Pu-Yi (titled Xuantong Emperor), Sun Yat-Sen idea of Republic of China has been warmly welcomed. Start with Wuchang uprising in Wuhan in 10 October 1911 (Taiwanese celebrate this date as National Double Ten Day), Republic of China Government successfully established in Nanjing as it's first capital in 12 March 1912.
One decision of a leader will impact the whole team. One wrong decision of Sun Yat-Sen as the first president of Republic of China indeed greatly impact the country fate until these days. One decision that Sun Yat-Sen laterly regret was to handover his power to Yuan Shi-Kai (Qing Dynasty Prime Minister) as a part of agreement to let the last Qing ruler to abdicate. Just small thought, maybe the young age of the ruling emperor, 12 years at that time, is a Qing fortune since it is one factor that enables Sun's government to withstand forced abdicate due to humanity reason. Unfortunately, Yuan Shi-Kai secretly still desire an imperial ruler for China and declared himself as an emperor in late 1915. Faced fierce opposition & rebellion by his subordinates, Yuan decided to abdicate in March 1916 before died in June in the same year.
A power vacuum in ROC government has created chaos. In 1920, Sun try to unite the fragmented nation in alliance with China Communist Party (CCP) but unfortunately died due to cancer in 1925, left Chiang Kai-Shek that successfully seize most of central and south China under his rule with Kuo Min Tang (KMT) party. Lately, this condition triggers a civil war in China between CCP and KMT. I can't tell which side or what event is actually starts a war. Beside the fact that I don't really know either, I believe it's somewhat a sensitive topic and there is always different opinion everywhere. The absolute truth is that the war has forced Chiang Kai-Shek and his troops to flee to Taiwan island and start their new ROC government in 1949 with Taipei as it's capital.
The man behind the successful takeover of mainland China under CCP rule is undoubtedly the famous Mao Ze-Dong. People's Republic of China (PRC) has established to replace ROC and Chairman Mao become the most influential national figure in China until these days. Traveler to Beijing will see his majestic big picture in front of Tian'anmen gate wall. With additional little fortune, you may also being offered for a local souvenir with Chairman Mao picture printed on it. I have a good fortune of course, therefore one souvenir shop keeper offer me a nice Chairman Mao keychain during my travel in Badaling Great Wall. Be remind to refuse politely if you're not interested in such souvenir since they will proudly ask you to buy. I personally feel a rather awkward to bring back a souvenir with national hero picture on it and vote for more scenery picture instead, so I didn't buy it.
As a result of those civil war, the political tension between PRC and ROC still remains until nowadays despite it's gradually decrease over period. PRC always consider ROC as one of it's province and put political pressure to it's government in international society, while Taiwan actually already rapidly growth as an independent country.
The next important event in history that create another gap between China and Taiwan and probably become one of my motivation to choose Taiwan instead of China as a place to study is Cultural Revolution. I actually very interested to do some web research and write more about China Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) since chinese culture topics seems always so fascinating to be discussed. However, I will just note the most important related aspect here.
To understand how massive is China Cultural Revolution impact to it's people, first we are demanded to be aware of what is the most fundamental cultural beliefs in, I believe, all chinese societies in the world. One values that still rooted until this modern era is what we called filial piety. Filial piety meanings described perfectly in a chinese character (pronounced 'xiao') which is depicted by 'old' character in the upper part and 'child' character for the bottom part. The combination create one unique character 'xiao' that be understood as child or young people obligation to exercise unquestioned obedience to their parents or the older generation. In this way, child education is start from a family as a society smallest unit and then elevated to the higher level where a filial child would become a filial citizen who must carry-out filial duty to their country. This basic Confucius (551-479 BC) teaching is spread widely through generations by inheritance of 'The 24 Filial Exemplars' book ('xiao jing'). One of chinese classic literature titled 'The Three-Character Classic' ('san zi jing') by Wang Yi-Lin (1223-1296) acclaim 'xiao jing' as the first book that a child should study before read other classics.
One of what Cultural Revolution does to China is shatter this belief and turn it upside down. The concept of 'family first and country next' somewhat become 'place country before anything else'. A popular song during the revolution enunciated, "Father and mother are dear, but not as dear as Chairman Mao." Numerous children in that period start to criticise and denounce their parents for offending Chairman Mao. They even accuse their own parents for guilty even if in the most case it will lead to death execution. Family unit crumbles and the whole country in chaos. When China try to rebuild it's shattered culture after 1980's along with the 'open-door policy', the rapid modernisation in that period had cause the presence of materialism become more teasing than a cultural matter.
What happen in Taiwan during that period is the absolute opposite. The little country indeed must also endure some hardship period after their defeat. Poverty period forced Taiwan to limit their daily consumption only to sweet potato instead of rice. Conflict with island indigenous people, aborigines ethnic group, must be resolved in order to established a fully approved government for the whole beautiful island. Martial law was enforced by president Chiang Kai-Shek since 1949 which is supposed to become one of the most important law to suppress communist power during the most intense conflict period between Taiwan and China. Taiwan almost 4 decades (38 years) martial law is the 2nd longest period in the world. Martial law has lifted in 1987 by president Chiang Ching-Kuo after the death of Chiang Kai-Shek, his father, in 1975. However, despite all those hardship period, Taiwanese remain conscious to preserve their chinese traditional values through their education system and, I believe, family teaching. Textbook of Confucian classics was used in Taiwan school since 1970. Despite of it's advance modernisation, Taiwan is one of the strongholds of traditional chinese culture at the present.
(To be continued)
To understand how massive is China Cultural Revolution impact to it's people, first we are demanded to be aware of what is the most fundamental cultural beliefs in, I believe, all chinese societies in the world. One values that still rooted until this modern era is what we called filial piety. Filial piety meanings described perfectly in a chinese character (pronounced 'xiao') which is depicted by 'old' character in the upper part and 'child' character for the bottom part. The combination create one unique character 'xiao' that be understood as child or young people obligation to exercise unquestioned obedience to their parents or the older generation. In this way, child education is start from a family as a society smallest unit and then elevated to the higher level where a filial child would become a filial citizen who must carry-out filial duty to their country. This basic Confucius (551-479 BC) teaching is spread widely through generations by inheritance of 'The 24 Filial Exemplars' book ('xiao jing'). One of chinese classic literature titled 'The Three-Character Classic' ('san zi jing') by Wang Yi-Lin (1223-1296) acclaim 'xiao jing' as the first book that a child should study before read other classics.
One of what Cultural Revolution does to China is shatter this belief and turn it upside down. The concept of 'family first and country next' somewhat become 'place country before anything else'. A popular song during the revolution enunciated, "Father and mother are dear, but not as dear as Chairman Mao." Numerous children in that period start to criticise and denounce their parents for offending Chairman Mao. They even accuse their own parents for guilty even if in the most case it will lead to death execution. Family unit crumbles and the whole country in chaos. When China try to rebuild it's shattered culture after 1980's along with the 'open-door policy', the rapid modernisation in that period had cause the presence of materialism become more teasing than a cultural matter.
What happen in Taiwan during that period is the absolute opposite. The little country indeed must also endure some hardship period after their defeat. Poverty period forced Taiwan to limit their daily consumption only to sweet potato instead of rice. Conflict with island indigenous people, aborigines ethnic group, must be resolved in order to established a fully approved government for the whole beautiful island. Martial law was enforced by president Chiang Kai-Shek since 1949 which is supposed to become one of the most important law to suppress communist power during the most intense conflict period between Taiwan and China. Taiwan almost 4 decades (38 years) martial law is the 2nd longest period in the world. Martial law has lifted in 1987 by president Chiang Ching-Kuo after the death of Chiang Kai-Shek, his father, in 1975. However, despite all those hardship period, Taiwanese remain conscious to preserve their chinese traditional values through their education system and, I believe, family teaching. Textbook of Confucian classics was used in Taiwan school since 1970. Despite of it's advance modernisation, Taiwan is one of the strongholds of traditional chinese culture at the present.
(To be continued)
Source:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tw.htmlhttp://www.heritage.org/index/country/taiwan
http://investtaiwan.nat.gov.tw/matter/show_eng.jsp?ID=3
http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=179369&ctNode=413
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