Delayed start of the new semester in Taiwan (but summer vacation two weeks shorter)?

The situation is quite fluid, with the MOE meeting earlier today and apparently deciding that universities in Taiwan will postpone the beginning of the semester to Monday March 2, 2020. A press conference will apparently follow. If any forumosans have a source on this, please feel free to link it.

I’ve also edited the title of this thread to indicate the details are still in flux.

Guy

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All unis are now starting two weeks later.

Sigh. My favorite fashionistas are going to be around longer…

Beat you to it!

Guy

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You are way happier than me.

My coworkers with small kids are in quite a pickle. Maybe we could talk the college kids to earn some bucks as baby sitters.

It is almost senseless to delay the start of school.

Parents have no choice but to put their kids into a buxiban during the day which exposed the kids to the same dangers. Possibly even more danger since the government is not supplying masks to buxibans.

Better to just start school.

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anyone will take 防疫照顧假?

The government have paid lip service to it.

Sources on delaying university semester start time are inconsistent and unclear at this time. This article revised the proposed start date from 3/2 to 2/25


https://health.udn.com/health/story/120950/4318951

Fine print: school changes to the semester calendar must first be submitted and approved. As of afternoon today, my uni has reiterated starting at 2/17 as usual and self-quarantine case-by-case. A fair amount of push back among some of our profs, since the 14 day delay is logical to be applied to all levels (including uni students). Personally, I could see the logic in a one week delay and starting at the same time as 高中一下 , since we already have self-quarantine measures for students and staff returning from abroad.

Time subject to individual school announcements.

https://m.facebook.com/www.edu.tw/posts/1457881597719790

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The girl in this picture is most definitely NOT Taiwanese

The 14 day quarantine of foreign students makes sense.

Oddly enough I contacted my uni today and was told that they hadn’t decided whether to open on March 2nd or not yet. Supposedly they are making the decision tomorrow.

It could well be that the person I was talking to wasn’t in possession of all the facts. I suspect that it’s more likely that the uni is making the official announcement tomorrow. Or, maybe, Taiwan News is wrong. Either could be correct. Or both.

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That doesn’t apply when you teach in high school.

Indeed, their personal hygiene gets considerably worse at that age.

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And it’s none of your business. Being a high school teacher is easy af. You can ignore all your students’ problems (unless it’s really bad) and just show up at classes.

To be honest I’ve never taught in a high school, so I wouldn’t know. I’ve taught kids that age, but in a different teaching environment.

I can’t. I care too much.

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Same with my university. Could really use some clarification on this one.

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It’s really annoying.

I’m 99% confident we’re going to receive an official announcement tomorrow saying that March 2nd is the start of the semester. However, this is Taiwan.

I’m sure there must be internal bickering / horse trading going on in universities now—not about the March 2 starting day (which I think is uncontroversial) but about the extra two weeks added onto the usual extremely long semester during the summer.

I wonder if some folks are trying to work out some Saturdays plus “distance teaching” scheme. Or better still, just switch to a 16 week semester, something university administrators have been talking about for years!

Guy