I am Wan-Yu Wang, formerly a full-time homemaker of four kids, now a Taiwanese legislator representing the New Power Party in the parliament since 2020.

I’ve been involved in education, children and youth welfare and rights, mental health, crime victim protection, and issues involving a social safety net. Since becoming a member of Legislative Yuan (ROC), I continually advocate on these issues and dedicate myself to a better civil society.

In regard to homeschooling, I would like to report how things have progressed since the 2014 passage of legislation promoting experimental education.

Leading the Way

The legalization of experimental education was a significant milestone in Asia. It demonstrated not merely the democratization of mandatory education in Taiwan, but the educational rights of students and parents as well.

As of 2019, there were approximately 17,000 students enrolled in experimental education in Taiwan, a 14.6 percent growth from 2018. This growth shows that Taiwan citizens are getting more acquainted with experimental education and attach great importance to preparing for inclusive and diverse educational environments.

One of my four kids attends traditional school, another is in school-based experimental education, and the other is the non-school type. Since we embraced experimental education, we constantly wonder about the core issue: "Besides textbooks, what does education offer for children?"

Deeper Connections

Education, especially during early childhood, should establish deeper connections with daily life. I hope it can make better, more meaningful connections between children and the island they live on.

As a parent and a legislator, I want to promote not merely experimental education, but the diversity in education systems. I hope this diversity and inclusion can contribute to the development of each child's personality and help children embrace their uniqueness.

The legislation establishing experimental education in Taiwan is comparatively progressive. In the past six years, however, supporters of these new methods have struggled with many obstacles, including expense, classroom space, teachers, and curriculum.

To gather ideas and advice for addressing these issues, I hosted a public hearing on May 21. Among those invited to attend were a representative of the Minister of Education, specialists, teachers, and parents.

My continuing goal is to protect the educational rights of students and parents and to establish a mechanism that assists the development of experimental education in Taiwan—including homeschooling.