Education Ministry to subsidize 1,000 schools

Taipei, Apr 2 (UNI) The Ministry of Education (MOE) will earmark NT80 million dollars this year for a project to subsidize 1,000 local elementary and junior high schools, MOE officials today said.

The announcement came after Minister of Education Tu Cheng-sheng kicked off the project with a press conference held at an elementary school in Pingtung county, southern Taiwan, reports the Taiwanese Central News Agency (CNA).

The project is part of the MOE's efforts to promote physical and art education at schools in remote areas, according to the officials.

Tu said that last year, the ministry subsidized 800 elementary and junior high schools in remote areas to purchase books, as well as equipment for physical and musical education.

This year, the education ministry has increased the number of schools to 1,000, and will provide additional budget support to these schools for the purchase of books, Tu added.

The 1,000 schools were selected from 15 out of 25 cities and counties, the minister said, adding that each school will receive an average subsidy of NT80,000 dollars.

The project highlights the importance that the ministry attaches to the students' physical and artistic education, Tu said, expressing hope that the schools will maximize their use of the subsidy.

UNI