After the amendment of the Primary and Junior High School Act, supplementary compulsory schools have been changed as continuing education departments. Starting this August, all 24 junior high and 33 elementary school supplementary compulsory schools in Taichung City have been changed as continuing education departments for junior high and elementary levels. To welcome this new milestone in the transformation of supplementary compulsory schools, the Taichung City Government’s Education Bureau has specially produced a promotional video. Through this visual documentation of the genuine learning experiences of continuing education students and the dedicated efforts of their teachers, the video conveys the belief that “learning never stops, and life has no limits,” while also helping the public better understand the significance and implementation of this systemic reform.
According to Director Jiang Wei-min of the Education Bureau, with the formal implementation of the amended Chapter 9 of the Primary and Junior High School Act on August 1, 2025, supplementary compulsory schools will transition from their previous “school-within-a-school” operational model to continue functioning as “continuing education departments” affiliated as internal administrative units within schools. This change is not merely a nominal adjustment but represents the formal incorporation of national supplementary education into the administrative framework of schools.
Director Jiang noted that supplementary compulsory schools have long been a cornerstone of lifelong education promotion in Taichung City. For many years, the teachers at these supplementary compulsory schools have diligently worked during evening hours, tirelessly imparting knowledge. It is precisely this dedication that has provided numerous citizens—who missed out on formal education due to work or family conditions—the opportunity to resume their educational journey.
The Education Bureau shared inspiring stories of lifelong learning in Taichung. Ms. He Mei-hua from Tanzih Junior High School, who has long been dedicated to continuing education, manages a hair salon by day and studied diligently at a continuing education department by night. She progressed from junior high education all the way to obtaining a master’s degree and is now a certified hairdressing skills assessor and a key contributor to the industry. Another example is Ms. Yan Jie-yu from Vietnam, who began learning Chinese at a continuing education department and now serves as a professional interpreter for courts and government agencies, helping more new residents integrate into Taiwanese society. These moving stories demonstrate that with a willingness to learn, anyone can resume their studies at any stage of life.
The Education Bureau emphasized its ongoing commitment to fostering lifelong learning through continuing education departments, community colleges, and senior learning centers, aiming to establish Taichung as a lifelong learning-friendly city for all its residents. (Promotional video link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yKHeE12UgnuMYAap0pNfN8_3IP7eNjCk/view)