When Shou-kong and Chuo-chuin Fan (e-mail: skfan@tpts5.seed.net.tw) founded the Home Educators’ Fellowship in August 1998, home schooling was not legal in Taiwan. At that time the compulsory attendance law required all children in grades 1–9 to be enrolled in a public or private school—no exceptions.
Taiwanese families were home schooling, however. The majority of the home schooled children were preschoolers or kindergartners. In a few cases, some sympathetic local school officials were allowing parents of school-aged children to teach their children at home, but test them at school along with classmates. Some parents simply withdrew their children from school, praying that officials would not bother to pursue them.
Their prayers were answered, but in an even better way: home schooling was officially recognized on June 24, 1999.
Legalizing home schooling in Taiwan is a two-step process. After meeting regularly with government officials, petitioning for the right to home school, the first step has been accomplished and home schooling has been officially recognized. Step two involves drafting the regulating policy, and the Taiwanese government has invited Home Educator’s Fellowship to assist in this process.HSLDA’s National Center for Home Education is honored to be able to provide counsel and model language for HEF as they work on this new policy. And we congratulate Taiwan for recognizing the important rights of parents to direct the education of their children.
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