高級中學法

The mission of senior high schools is to develop the nation's youth in mind and body, cultivate well-rounded citizens, and lay a foundation for academic research and the learning of specialized skills.

The term "designated educational authority" as used in this Act means the Ministry of Education at the central government level; the Department of Education at the level of a special municipality; and the county or county-level city government, at the level of a county (or county-level city).

1To qualify for admission to senior high school, a candidate must have graduated from junior high school or achieved an equivalent educational level, and have entered one of the following ways: either by passing an entrance examination; or by obtaining admission through recommendations and a special screening interview; or by completing a registration process; or by being granted direct advancement; or by obtaining guaranteed admission; or by completing an application process; or by receiving placement status.The standard for achieving an educational level equivalent to graduation from junior high school shall be promulgated by the central designated educational authority.

2The term of study for senior high schools shall be limited, in principle, to three years.

3For the purpose of multi-route admissions to senior high school, the central designated educational authority, after consulting with the designated educational authorities at the special municipality, county, and county-level city levels, shall adopt regulations governing student recruitment procedures, implementation areas ( scope, methods, recruitment target, student recruitment processing duration, organization and manning, admission quotas and ratios, and other compliance matters for multi-route admissions) .

The admission quotas and procedures referred to in the preceding article shall not apply to the following: children of workers sent overseas by the government; students who have obtained outstanding results in international scientific or academic competitions; students with outstanding sporting results; retired military personnel; overseas-Chinese; students from Mongolia and Tibet; students with foreign nationalities and students from areas experiencing major disasters. The central designated educational authority shall promulgate the regulations regarding admission quotas, procedures, qualifications, time-frame, admission principles and other issues relating to such students' rights.

1When a senior high school student has satisfactorily completed all required academic courses or has obtained 160 credits, the school shall award a graduation certificate.

2The central designated educational authority shall promulgate regulations governing evaluation of the performance of senior high school students.

1A senior high school shall be established by the central government and the governments of special municipalities, counties, and county-level cities. A senior high school may also be established by private sectors.

2Senior high schools shall be categorized as national, municipal, county, city, or private depending on whether they are established by the central government, by the government of a special municipality, county, or county-level city, or by the private sector. The establishment, modification, or suspension of operations thereof shall be conducted in accordance with the following:

31. National senior high schools: Must be reviewed and approved by the central designated educational authority.

42. Municipal senior high schools: Following review and approval by the special municipality's designated educational authority, a report shall be submitted to the central designated educational authority for recording and review, if necessary.

53. County or county-level city senior high schools: Following review and approval by the county (or county-level city) government's designated educational authority, a report shall be submitted to the central designated educational authority for recording and review, if necessary.

64. Private senior high schools: Within a special municipality, following review and approval by the special municipality's designated educational authority, a report shall be submitted to the central designated educational authority for recording and review, if necessary . Within a county (or county-level city), review and approval by the central designated educational authority is required.

1Senior high schools shall be divided into the following categories:

21. Ordinary senior high schools: Those schools that focus on the study of an ordinary curriculum focusing mainly on core subjects for general knowledge.

32. Bilateral high schools: Those schools that combine ordinary and vocational courses of study into a single curriculum and guide students with the selection of appropriate courses of study based upon their abilities, aptitude, and interest.

43. Magnet senior high schools: Those schools that provide a curriculum focusing on a specific field of study encouraging students with exceptional academic abilities and aptitude to continue to develope their potential.

54. Experimental senior high schools: Schools that were established for the purpose of engaging in educational experimentation.

6In order to fulfill the requirements of a locality’s special circumstances, an ordinary senior high school may apply to the designated educational authority for approval in order to establish ancillary vocational programs or junior high school departments.

7The central designated educational authority shall prescribe regulations to assess the requirements and procedures with respect to applications for the establishment of experimental high schools, as well as for the establishment by experimental senior high schools of ancillary vocational programs or junior high and elementary school departments.

The designated educational authority at the appropriate level shall promulgate regulations governing the items for fees to be collected from the students, their use, amount and other relevant issues.

In order to assist students studying at senior high schools, the government shall undertake student loans; loan items for relevant expenses thereunder include miscellaneous school expenses, internship fees, book expenses, lodging costs, living expenses, student group insurance premium, overseas studying and training fees as well. The central competent educational authority shall promulgate regulations governing the loan conditions, limits, rights and responsibilities arising thereunder and other rules for compliance.

1A senior high school shall procure safety group insurance for students. The designated educational authority at the appropriate level shall promulgate regulations governing the coverage, benefit amount, premium payment mode, term, benefit payment standards, rights and responsibilities, procurement procedures and other relevant issues.

2When a student files an insurance claim, the school shall take the initiative to assist the student with the claim.

3The designated educational authorities at all levels shall procure public liability insurance against accidents that may occur in the future on the public and private senior high school premises under their jurisdiction.

4Such funding required for matters under the preceding paragraph shall be annually budgeted and paid by the central designated educational authority.

To develop area-wide cooperation among secondary schools, the various levels of government along with private individuals may establish comprehensive junior-senior high schools in order to provide students with integrated learning. The central designated educational authority shall prescribe the following matters for comprehensive junior-senior high schools: principles for the drawing of school district boundaries; term of study; required courses of study or study credits; standards regarding facilities; and graduation requirements.

1Establishment and approval procedures for the various categories of senior high schools referred to in Article 6 and the comprehensive junior-senior high schools referred to in the preceding article shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of each of the subparagraphs of Article 5 paragraph 2.

2The central designated educational authority shall prescribe curriculum standards, curriculum outlines, and facilities standards for each of the various categories of senior high school referred to in Article 6.

3Where ancillary vocational programs or junior high and elementary school departments are established in accordance with the provisions of Article 6 paragraph 2 and paragraph 3, vocational school, junior high school, or primary school regulations shall apply, respectively, with regard to the curriculum and facilities standards of such ancillary programs or departments.

Senior high school textbooks shall be approved, and compiled when necessary, by the central designated educational authority.

A senior high school shall guide students toward appropriate development based upon each student's capabilities, aptitude and interests. Regulations governing such guidance shall be prescribed by the designated educational authority.

In order to meet specialized requirements and improve the quality of education, a senior high school may, after reporting to the designated educational authority for approval, conduct various educational experiments. Regulations governing such experiments shall be prescribed by the central designated educational authority.

1A full-time principal shall be installed at each senior high school, who shall be charged with responsibility for the overall management of the school affairs. After obtaining permission from the designated educational authority, the principal may teach part-time at the school he/she is in charge or at another school or schools.

2The principal of a national, municipal, county, or city senior high school shall be appointed by the designated educational authority following selection from amongst qualified personnel. The principal of a private senior high school shall be selected and hired by the school’s board of directors from amongst qualified candidates.

3The selection process referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be conducted by a selection committee organized respectively by the designated educational authority or by school’s board of directors. The selection and appointing/hiring process shall be prescribed by the central designated educational authority.

4The principal of a university-affiliated senior high school established in accordance with the Teacher Cultivation Act shall be appointed/hired from amongst qualified members of the school's faculty by the president of the affiliated university. The principal so appointed/hired shall be reported to the designated educational authority for record and review, if necessary.

5A senior high school principal shall serve for a specified term of office. Regulations governing term of office and performance evaluation of senior high school principals shall be promulgated by the designated educational authority.

1Current principals of senior high schools who possess teaching qualifications and who are willing to return as teachers may be assigned by the relevant designated educational authority to teach in senior high schools without being assessed by the teachers' appraisal committee.

2In respect to current principals of senior high schools who have not been selected, or who do not possess teaching qualifications or who possess teaching qualifications but are not willing to return as teachers, the relevant designated educational authority may:

31. Permit the retirement of those who have fulfilled retirement conditions and who wish to retire voluntarily;

42. Depending on their wishes and qualifications, give those who have not fulfilled retirement conditions or who do not wish to retire voluntarily, priority for other positions.

The various relevant designated educational authorities shall conduct appraisals of the principals of senior high schools under their respective jurisdiction, in regards to their performance in the running of the schools and their annual results. The central designated educational authority shall promulgate the regulations governing the appraisal grading or results, types of rewards and penalties, formation and duties of appraisal committees, appraisal procedures, notification of appraisal results, appeals of appraisal results and other relevant issues.

A senior high school shall establish departments of academic affairs, student affairs and general affairs, each of which shall have one director who shall be appointed by the principal from among the full-time faculty to serve concurrently and who shall report to the principal for administering academic affairs, student affairs, and general affairs.

When a senior high school has junior high school and primary school departments, and/or a vocational studies courses, separate school directors or program directors may be appointed by the principal from among full-time faculty to serve concurrently.

1A senior high school shall establish a Guidance Committee, for which the principal shall serve concurrently as the chairperson. The principal shall appoint department and office directors and appropriate full-time faculty members to serve on the Guidance Committee in a concurrent capacity.

2The Guidance Committee shall establish full-time guidance counselor positions, and the principal shall select teachers possessing specialized knowledge or capabilities to fill such positions. The principal shall appoint one guidance counselor to serve concurrently as the chief guidance counselor.

3A Guidance Committee may hire guidance instructors and volunteer guidance instructors possessing specialized knowledge or capabilities to serve in a concurrent capacity as Committee members.

A senior high school shall establish a library to be headed by one director. The principal shall either appoint a full-time faculty member with specialized knowledge or capabilities to serve concurrently as library director, or shall hire a person with specialized knowledge or capabilities to fill the position.

A senior high school may, in consideration with the size of the school and operational requirements, divide the administrative units set forth in Article 13, Article 15, and Article 16 into sections for the conduct of administrative affairs.

A senior high school shall establish a personnel office or appoint a personnel manager. Where a personnel office is established, one director shall be appointed, and a number of section staffers, assistants, or clerks/secretaries may also be hired, to conduct personnel affairs in accordance with the law.

A senior high school shall establish an accounting office or hire an accountant. Where an accounting office is established, one director of accounting shall be hired, and a number of assistants may also be hired, to conduct budgeting, accounting matters and statistics in accordance with the law.

1A senior high school may employ secretaries, [department] directors, section directors, administrative directors, section staffers, senior assistants, junior assistants, custodians, clerk/secretaries, physicians, nutritionists, registered professional nurses or registered nurses, specialists, and junior specialists. A national senior high school shall draft its own organizational charter and staffing chart, which shall be submitted to the central designated educational authority for review and approval. Standards for organizational charters of municipal, county, and city senior high schools shall be drafted by the designated educational authority and submitted to the central designated educational authority for record and review, if necessary. The criteria for organizational charters for private senior high schools shall be promulgated by the central designated educational authority.

2The secretaries, department directors, and section directors referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be appointed by the principal from among full-time faculty. Section directors under the general affairs department, however, shall not be subject to this restriction.

1Senior high school teachers should be appointed to full-time positions. However, under special circumstances, part-time teachers may be hired. Regulations established in the Teacher’s Act should be followed when hiring teachers.

2In case of openings in public senior high schools, the principal shall directly hire teachers after resolution from the teacher appraisal committee and processing by education administration authorities on teacher transfer among schools.

3Teacher transfer among public senior high schools in accordance with the preceding paragraph shall be handled by the transfer panel established independently or jointly by education administration authorities. Organization, transfer requirements and operational guidelines of such transfer panel shall be established by the responsible of education administration authorities.

The various designated educational authorities shall conduct appraisals of the annual performance of teachers at senior high schools under their respective jurisdiction. The central designated educational authority shall promulgate the regulations governing the appraisal grading or results, types of rewards and penalties, formation and duties of appraisal committees, appraisal procedures and other relevant issues.

A senior high school shall employ a director of military instruction, military instructors, and nursing instructors. Regulations governing the selection, promotion, and transfer thereof shall be promulgated by the central designated educational authority.

A senior high school shall establish a governing board, convened and chaired by the principal, to deliberate and rule on important school affairs issues. Governing boards shall comprise the principal, heads of each unit, all full-time faculty (or faculty representatives), staff representatives, and representatives of the parent association. The composition thereof shall be prescribed by each individual school.

A senior high school shall establish an academic affairs committee, student affairs committee, and student guidance committee to discuss matters relevant to academic affairs, student affairs, and student guidance, respectively.

A senior high school shall establish a student appeals system to protect students' rights and interests. Regulations governing the student appeals system shall be promulgated by the designated educational authority.

A senior high school may, except where otherwise provided for by law, establish various committees for the promotion of school affairs.

A senior high school shall have parent-teachers' associations, comprising of parents of the students. Each parent-teacher's association shall be named after its school. The various designated educational authorities shall promulgate the regulations governing the mission, number of committee members, appointment term, and source of operating funds, use, operations and other relevant issues.

1Specific accounts shall be established in respect to incomes and relevant expenses relating to the premises of senior high schools, provision of their facilities and equipment for use by others, entrusted operation, encouragement of private participating, re-test and revision for students, recruitment, selection, understudy and implementation of educational promotion, the collection and payment of which shall be on behalf of the parties involved. Any balance shall be carried forward for the purposes of improving the basic facilities of the schools or to purchase teaching equipment. The said accounts shall not be restricted by Article 13 of the Budget Act, Article 7 of the State Assets Act and the relevant regulations governing local public asset management.

2The central designated educational authority shall promulgate regulations governing the management of the aforesaid accounts.

Privately established senior high schools shall be administered in accordance with the Private School Act as well as this Act.

For senior high schools established by the provincial government before the amendment to this Act entered into force, the modification or suspension of operations thereof shall be approved by the central designated educational authority.

The provisions of this Act shall apply mutatis mutandis to senior high school programs established by the Ministry of National Defense for the education of military personnel. Such programs shall also be subject to supervision by the central designated educational authority. The scope of this Act's applicability shall be determined by the Ministry of Defense in consultation with the central designated educational authority.

The enforcement rules for this Act shall be prescribed by the central designated educational authority.

This Act shall enter into force from the date of promulgation.