Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Mike Farris:
Today, our tour of homeschooling around the world takes us to Asia. In Singapore, one family began teaching their daughter at home in 1992 and since then has gone on to begin a ministry supporting homeschoolers throughout Asia. Homeschooling was formally legalized in Singapore by the Compulsory Education Act in 2000, making many more families aware of the homeschooling option.

South Korea, on the other hand, has a vague law that leaves room for families to homeschool. And the support of the business community means that homeschoolers are mostly left alone to pursue educating their children. Family Mission International places U.S. homeschoolers in the homes of Korean host families. One American family teaches around 50 Korean families in weekly co-ops. There are about two thousand families homeschooling in South Korea; about half of these are Christian.

Taiwan’s homeschool movement is more than a decade old. One family, who had begun homeschooling while attending graduate school in the United States, hosted an informational day for 20 families that resulted in the Chinese Christian Home Educator’s Association in Taiwan. They now have support groups, book fairs, newsletters, and various camps. For Taiwanese homeschoolers, a local committee approves parents’ proposed lesson plans for the year, and usually reviews student progress at the end of each semester.

Next time, join me as we follow the silk road in reverse from East to West, where we’ll talk about homeschooling in Europe! I’m Mike Farris.