中華民國教育部 Ministry of Education Republic of China (Taiwan)
The Ministry of Education of Taiwan announced on July 1st its plan to amend the "Regulations on Student Learning Assessments in Senior Secondary Schools," introducing a new category of leave called "mental and physical adjustment leave" to help students monitor their psychological well-being. This policy will be piloted in 42 high schools across Taiwan. Parent groups have expressed support while urging the Ministry of Education to conduct broader public awareness campaigns. They also advocate for amendments to the "Student Counseling Act" to bolster counseling resources, aiming to address student self-harm issues comprehensively.
According to the draft amendments, Article 24 will include "mental and physical adjustment leave" as a valid reason for absence. The Ministry of Education clarified that this leave aims to assist students experiencing mild psychological discomfort or distress in adjusting their emotions and balancing their mental and physical well-being, thus helping them overcome short-term psychological challenges. It also emphasizes the importance of teachers and parents prioritizing students' mental health.
Designed to assist students experiencing mild psychological discomfort or distress in adjusting their mood and balancing their physical and mental condition, enabling them to overcome short-term psychological challenges. (Photo: Adapted from freepik)
The pilot phase of this policy commenced in the second semester of the 112th academic year across 42 high schools. During the trial period, leave requests must be made for half-day or full-day increments, with a maximum of three days per semester allowed, and partial-class leave requests are not permitted. Recently, the K-12 Education Administration of the Ministry of Education gathered feedback from participating schools and relevant organizations, revealing that students have not been abusing this leave. For instance, in a school with over 1000 students, there were over 140 applications for mental and physical adjustment leave, but only 4 students took the maximum three-day leave.
The Ministry of Education (Taiwan) should enhance public awareness to ensure parents recognize students' psychological conditions and actively support their children. Trial regulations stipulate parental consent for leave requests, with the aim of fostering greater parental attention to their children's mental and physical health. (Photo: Adapted from freepik)
Xie Guoqing, Executive Supervisor of the Taiwan Parents Education Union, mentioned that parents currently have limited understanding of mental and physical adjustment leave. He suggested that the Ministry of Education should enhance its promotional efforts to raise awareness among parents about their children's psychological conditions, encouraging proactive parental involvement. The trial regulations require parental consent for leave requests, which helps parents pay closer attention to their children's mental and physical health.
Wang Hanyang, Chairman of the National Education Action Alliance, expressed support for this policy, emphasizing the Ministry of Education's responsibility to inform parents about their children's situations. However, he noted that mental and physical adjustment leave represents a passive measure, urging the Ministry of Education to actively amend the "Student Counseling Act" to supplement counseling resources for effectively addressing student self-harm issues.
Hou Junliang, Chairman of the National Teachers Association, indicated that student groups and teachers generally view mental and physical adjustment leave positively. However, he suggested that the Ministry of Education provide more detailed explanations on specific implementation details, such as potential issues during leave application and approval processes, and make adjustments before full implementation.
For suicide prevention: If you or someone you know is experiencing psychological distress, please call the following hotlines for assistance:
- Anxin Hotline: 1925
- Lifeline Counseling Hotline: 1995
- Zhang Teacher Hotline: 1980
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