Brief comparison of Hong Kong and Taiwan Education System

1. TAIWAN VS. HONG KONG
A COMPARISON OF
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS
RAFFY G. SEREZO
Graduate Student
MA in Education (SLI)
PALAWAN STATE UNIVERSITY-GRADUATE SCHOOL
SUBLECT: COMPARATIVE EDUCATION TERM: SUMMER 2018
PROFESSOR: DR. ERLINDA A. GANAPIN

2. Objectives:
•Provide information about history and
demographic characteristic of Hong Kong
and Taiwan
•Compare and differentiate the educational
system of Hong Kong and Taiwan
•Cite good features of educational system of
Hong Kong and Taiwan

3. TOPOGRAPICAL LOCATION OF HONG KONG AND TAIWAN
HONG KONG
TAIWAN

4. HISTORICAL PERPECTIVE (TAIWAN)
1544 – 1623 - The Portuguese discovered the Island of Taiwan. The
Portuguese named Taiwan “Formosa”, meaning ‘beautiful island’.
1626 – 1662 - The Island of Taiwan was Colonized by the Dutch.
Spain invaded Taiwan in 1626 and took control of a large portion of the
coast line. They tried to compete with the Dutch trade, but failed. After
Spain retreats, Dutch take control in 1642.
1662 – 1663 - Cheng Chen-kung , a general from China's Ming Dynasty,
invaded and took control of the island of Taiwan. The Dutch surrendered
to Cheng in 1662 and left for good.

5. HISTORICAL PERPECTIVE (TAIWAN)
1894 – 1895 - In 1894 war broke out between Japan and China. China’s
navy could not beat Japan’s modern fleet, and in 1895 China was forced
to sign the Treaty which ceded the Ryukyu Islands (Okinawa), Taiwan
and the Penghu Archipelago to Japan.
1911 - 1912 - In October of 1911, a group of revolutionaries in southern
China led a successful revolt against the Qing Dynasty.
In 1912 Republic of China (ROC) was created but Taiwan remained firmly
in Japanese hands.
July 1921 -The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is officially founded.

6. HISTORICAL PERPECTIVE (TAIWAN)
On October 25th 1945 Japan was defeated in WWII. They were
forced to relinquish all overseas possessions. Taiwan, now a spoil of
war, was handed over to the ROC.
1949 – 1975 - Communists took control of the mainland China in
1949, and established Peoples Republic of China (PRC).
The Nationalists under Chiang Kai-shek established their
government in Taiwan (ROC), after the mainland fell to the
Communists.
2009 – 2012 - After a Long History of fighting and disagreements…
Trade between China and Taiwan has grown dramatically. Tourism
and cultural exchanges are also improving…

7. Trivia:
• China (PRC) considers Taiwan as renegade province, and has claimed
sovereignty over Taiwan. (One China Policy)
• Taiwan recognizes that the Communist government rules the Chinese
mainland while the republican government rules Taiwan.
• Taiwan Claims its capital is Nanjing China and designates Taipei as its
temporary capital.
• Only 18 of 193 UN member countries has diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
• USA is Taiwan's most important friend and protector.

8. HISTORICAL PERPECTIVE (HONGKONG)
Pre-1842- The tiny island of Hong Kong is a fishing community
under China's rule, but lightly populated and largely ignored by
China's leaders.
1842-The Treaty of Nanking, signed by China and Britain at the
end of the first opium war cedes Hong Kong island to Britain
permanently.
1941-1945 -Japan invades and occupies Hong Kong, part of its
aggressive campaign throughout the Asia Pacific region.
1949-China's communists defeat the nationalists in the struggle
for control of China. The civil war drives hundreds of thousands
to flee to Hong Kong

9. HISTORICAL PERPECTIVE (HONGKONG)
1976 - China's communist chairman, Mao Zedong, dies, opening
the way for more moderate leaders. Deng Xiaoping emerges at
the top after a power struggle.
1984-The British prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, and China's
premier, Zhao Ziyang, sign the Joint Declaration requiring
Britain to transfer sovereignty of Hong Kong to China at
midnight of June 30 1997. China pledges to grant Hong Kong a
"high degree of autonomy" and permits it to retain its capitalist
system for 50 years after 1997.
July 1 1997-Hong Kong officially becomes a special
administrative region (SAR) of China.

10. COUNTRY’S PROFILE
Area: 36,188 sq km
Density: 650/km2
Population: 23,550,077 (2017 est.)
GDP: $ 1.177 trillion
Language: Chinese
Government: Unitary
TAIWAN HONGKONG
Area: 1,092 sq km
Density: 6,777/km2
Population: 7,409,800 (2017 est.)
GDP: $ 482.101 billion
Language: Chinese, English
Government: SAR with
“basic Law”

11. ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS
• Services account for about
60% of GDP.
• Manufacturing accounts for
about 35% of the GDP.
• Agriculture, forestry, and
fishing account for less than 5
% of the GDP
• Exports exceeds Imports
TAIWAN HONGKONG
• Main shipping and air routes
of the western Pacific.
• Serve as main entry port for
China
• One of the leading trading
centers in the world.
• Imports most of its food
commodities.

12. TECHNOLOGIC ADVANCEMENT
• 5th most high tech city in the
world - TAIPIE, TAIWAN
• Taipei 1010 at 509 meters high,
this was the world's tallest
building from 2004 to 2010
TAIWAN HONGKONG
• 22nd most high tech city in the
world - HONGKONG, CHINA
• International Commerce Centre
standing at 108 storeys, this 484
m skyscraper was the fourth
tallest building in the world
when it was completed in 2010.

13. RESULTS BASED ON PISA 2015
Based on 2015 PISA result
• 4th in Mathematics
• 23rd in Reading
• 4th in Science
TAIWAN HONGKONG
Based on 2015 PISA result
• 2nd in Mathematics
• 2nd in Reading
• 9th in Science

14. 2015 PISA AVERAGE SCORES

15. GOVERNMENT’S EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT
BUDGET:
579,579,361,000 (NT)
1,006,510,081,946.97 PHP
GDP SPENT ON EDUCATION:
4.88%
TEACHER STUDENT RATIO:
1:15
TAIWAN HONGKONG
BUDGET:
82,436,000,000 (HK$)
545,948,082,535.13 PHP
GDP SPENT ON EDUCATION:
3.6%
TEACHER STUDENT RATIO:
1:14

16. EDUCATIONAL SPENDING OF PARENTS (AVE.)
$ 56,424
(approx. 280,000 Php)
TAIWAN HONGKONG
$ 132,161
(approx. 6,608,050 Php)

17. GOALS OF EDUCATION
EDUCATION POLICY PROJECTS FOCUSED
ON DEVELOPING GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
1. Strengthen International competitive
capacity, improve ranking in the world
and establish excellent universities.
2. Encourage overseas studies, enroll
foreign students, and activate
international exchange activities
3. Participate in international service and
promote foreign service
4. Enact career and Technical Education,
encourage international activities.
TAIWAN HONGKONG
The Government aims to raise the quality of school
education:
1. by fine-tuning the medium of instruction
arrangements for schools
2. by implementing small class teaching (SCT) in
public sector primary schools
3. by promoting the use of information technology
(IT) in teaching and learning
4. by implementing curriculum reform in schools
5. by improving the learning environment
6. by providing education services for newly
arrived children and young people from the
Mainland

18. EDUCATIONAL STRUCTURE
Implements 6+3+3 Basic Education
6 years Elementary
3 years Junior High
3 years Senior High or 3 Years Vocational
• 9 years compulsory and free but Implements 12 years
compulsory Education on 2012. Starting Age is 6 years
old.
• Classes is held 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM for Elementary and
5:00 PM High School but some stay until 8:00 to 9:00
PM for Extra Classes
TAIWAN HONGKONG
Implements 6+3+2+2 Basic Education
6 years Primary School
3 Junior Secondary Program
2 years Secondary Form 4-5
2 years Secondary Form 6-7
• 9 years Basic Education is compulsory and free. Starting
Age is 6 years old.
• Each institution has its own specific calendar and
schedules may change from year to year.
• Academic year usually consists of two semesters,
September to late December and January to May.

19. Grading System
TAIWAN HONGKONG
Grade Scale Grade Description
A+ 97.00 - 100.00
A 94.00 - 96.99 Excellent
A- 90.00 - 93.99
B+ 87.00 - 89.99
B 84.00 - 86.99 Very Good
B- 80.00 - 83.99 Above Average
C+ 77.00 - 79.99
C 74.00 - 76.99 Satisfactory
C- 70.00 - 73.99
D+ 67.00 - 69.99
D 64.00 - 66.99 Barely Satisfactory
D- 60.00 - 63.99
F 0.00 - 59.99 Failure
IC Incomplete
WD Withdrawn
Grade Grade Description
A+ Excellent
A
A-
B+
B Good
B-
C+
C Adequate
C-
D+
D Marginal pass
F Fail

20. • Vocational training takes place
in parallel for 3 years.
• There is greater emphasis on
vocationally relevant practical
skills.
• Most students choose to
specialize in a core subject, for
example computer science, a
particular engineering skill, or
business methods. It is not
unusual for students to follow
this route to university too.
TAIWAN HONGKONG
• The Chinese government is
committed to life-long adult
education post-school.
• Includes professional training,
as well as a huge range of non-
degree programs provided by
universities and other
institutions. Languages
including English, mandarin and
Japanese are especially popular.
FEATURES OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

21. • There are over 100 higher education
institutions in Taiwan. Some are state-
controlled and some are private
businesses.
• Engineering is the most popular course
and accounts for 25% of degrees
awarded
• National Taiwan University in North,
offers Comprehensive Courses.
• National Chung Hsing University in
middle, offers agriculture and biology
courses.
• National Cheng Kung University in
south, offers engineering, medical,
science courses.
TAIWAN HONGKONG
• Tertiary education is a focus of
many Hong Kong citizens in a
city-state that boasts 8
universities.
• Programs includes architecture,
arts, business & economics,
dentistry, education,
engineering, law, medicine,
science, and social studies.
HIGHER EDUCATION AND CURRICULAR OFFERINGS

22. TEACHER SALARY
NT 60,000-70,000
($2,000-2,400 USD)/mo.
(100,000-120,000 Php)
TAIWAN HONGKONG
HK$22,985 - HK$48,400
($3,000-$6,500 USD)/mo.
(150,000-325,000 Php)

23. EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS/CRITICISM
1. Students have eight classes per day five
or six days per week, carry a lot of
books, go to cram school in the
evenings and on weekends and have
more homework than they can finish.
2. From a practical perspective, what
learned in high school has limited use
that can be applied to profession.
3. Excessive pressure on students and
disregarding creativity in favor of
memorization.
4. Tensions over statehood manifest at
every level of education in Taiwan.
5. Taiwan has a testing-oriented education
system, which also poses several issues.
TAIWAN HONGKONG
1. Number of children among mental health
patients is increasing – as high as 5 per cent
annually due to much publicized pressures
facing the city’s young kids
2. Test-focused education system
3. Students are judged by numbers, not by their
talents, passions, or character.
4. Education system does not fully prepare
students for the world outside of school or after
graduation
5. Educational system determines children’s paths
as early as kindergarten – either top-performers
or under-performers.
6. The system of education makes it difficult for
local students connect with Chinese culture and
mainland China.

24. CONCLUSION:
Undoubtedly Hong Kong and Taiwan’s Educational System
yields great result in International Assessment of Educational
Systems. Results shows that the two countries performed above
most of OECD member countries. But however it is hard to judge
if their educational systems are the best because test results may
not be to sole parameter to be called best.
Issues such as excessive pressure on students and
disregarding creativity in favor of memorization and increasing
mental health concerns among children may be look into. Change
and improvements may be implemented to further develop their
system of Education.

25. References:
• Microsoft Encarta 2009
• https://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/asia/taiwan/twtimeln.htm
• https://www.classbase.com/countries/Hong-Kong/Education-System
• https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/jul/01/china1
• www.edb.gov.hk/index.aspx?nodeID=2&langno=1
• https://academic-writing.org/blog/educational-system-hong-kong/
• https://www.classbase.com/countries/Taiwan/Education-Systemhttps://english.moe.gov.tw/mp-1.html
• https://international.thenewslens.com/article/46431 http://www.ejinsight.com/20151009-what-is-wrong-
with-our-education-system/
• https://www.teachaway.com/teach-english-taiwan https://www.teachaway.com/teaching-public-schools-
hong-kong/salary-benefits-public-school-jobs-hong-kong

26. THANK YOU!