An examination and evaluation of post-millennial early childhood education policies in Taiwan

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.