TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Ministry of Education (MOE, 教育部) announced on Thursday (Oct. 17) subsidy details for integrating transitional justice education into universities, offering up to NT$300,000 per project.
The "MOE Colleges and Universities Subsidies to Implement Transitional Justice through Education Program" (教育部補助大專校院辦理轉型正義教育實施計畫) invites applications from public and private universities, school clubs, and legally registered nonprofit organizations, focusing on university faculty and students.
It is part of a four-year initiative launched last year, the "Implementation of the National Action Program for Transitional Justice Education" (國家轉型正義教育行動綱領), to rejuvenate educational spaces by removing authoritarian symbols, which has elicited mixed reactions from teachers, students, and legislators.
The MOE encourages applicants to utilize political archives for research or promote transitional justice through varied formats, such as book clubs and short films. Chen Shih-min (陳世民), a political science associate professor at National Taiwan University (NTU, 臺灣大學), remarked, "I certainly hope the objective of this transitional justice is to promote societal unity and harmony, instead of fighting against dictators of the past."
Meanwhile, Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) Legislator Yeh Yuan-chih (葉元之) questioned the use of taxpayer money, stating, "After the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨) took office, it has also become very authoritative, spending taxpayers' money to brainwash children."
An NTU student surnamed Li (李) suggested that legislation should lead these efforts to avoid political influence in schools. He further expressed concern that financial support could subtly encourage students to adopt a particular ideology.
Taiwan's journey towards achieving transitional justice education remains complex, given its historical and political context. The government envisions a more just and inclusive future.