child, and take appropriate measures such as the introduction of free education and
offering financial assistance to those in need; (c) Make higher education accessible to
all on the basis of capacity by every appropriate means; …" While the CRC does not
explicitly require the provision of compulsory secondary education, this does not
mean that contracting states implementing 12 years of basic education can justify
differential treatment based on nationality. Such actions must still comply with the
non-discrimination principle outlined in Article 2 of the CRC.
Additionally, General Comment No. 23, Paragraph 59 of the CRC Committee,
mentions that all children with an international migration background, regardless of
their status, should have full access to all levels and forms of education on an equal
basis with the citizens of the host country.
ii.
The Government’s Fulfillment of National Obligations under the
Covenant
Taiwan adjusted its original nine-year compulsory education policy and fully
implemented 12 years of basic education in 2014.
In 2023, the Executive Yuan approved the plan to “Close the Gap between Public
and Private Schools and its Supporting Measures," to be implemented in February
2024. This plan aims to promote educational equality by focusing on fixed-amount
tuition reduction for private university students. Furthermore, it includes three
supporting measures: Increased subsidies for economically disadvantaged students in
both public and private universities, comprehensive implementation of tuition-free
senior high school education, and improvements to student loan application and
repayment measures. The goal is to ensure that every child can choose their preferred
school and major without financial pressure, allowing both public and private
universities to develop specialized programs and cultivate talents across various fields
for the country. 9
9
Executive Yuan Policy "Implementing Education Equality and Narrowing Tuition Gaps
Program," dated July 18, 2023, sourced from the Ministry of Education, URL:
20