Maryknoll Missionary Priest in Taiwan Fr. Joy Tajonera had raised concerns over the situation of Filipino high school students sent to Taichung under a study-work program, citing level repetition, questionable arrangements and language barriers.

In DAILY TRIBUNE’s digital show Usapang OFW, Fr. Tajonera said more than a hundred students, some who have already finished secondary school in the Philippines, were required to repeat Grades 10 to 12 upon arrival in the country.

He noted that the program is a study-work arrangement where students alternate between three months of school and three months of factory work. Students enter Taiwan on student visas.

“From my understanding, they are full-time students and full-time workers in a factory. They don’t want to speak because they are afraid, they will lose their job and opportunities,” Fr. Tajonera said.

He also questioned the requirement for students to repeat grade levels and the use of Mandarin as a medium of instruction, where they learn the language as they repeat their high school subjects.

“I said, that’s kind of impossible because to learn Chinese, you at least need two years of full time studies,” he explained.

He called on authorities to clarify who is overseeing the program and to ensure that the welfare of the students is safeguarded.

Taiwan responds

Eric Po-chih Chuang, director of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines’s (TECO) Culture Center and an official representative of Taiwan’s Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC), clarified that the 3+4 Vocational Education Program and the Four-Year Overseas Youth Vocational Training Program are education and internship tracks, not labor schemes, and participation is voluntary.

“Students voluntarily choose their study path: either completing vocational high school plus university under the 3+4 Program, or directly pursuing a four-year bachelor’s degree under the OYVTP,” Chuang said.

He added that the model combines classroom study with supervised enterprise internships that provide "stipends higher than Taiwan’s minimum wage,” with partner firms located within an hour of school.

“All curricula and internship arrangements strictly follow Taiwan's Ministry of Education regulations, and all students enrolled in the programs enjoy the same rights and protections as local Taiwanese students,” he said. "The OCAC also ensures student welfare through a seven-language hotline, school inspections, unannounced enterprise checks, and mentorship support systems."

Courses are taught in Mandarin, with language training support and a proficiency bar before work placement.

“Starting in 2024, students must meet TOCFL proficiency standards before internships,” Chuang said, adding: “These programs are designed to provide quality education, cultural reconnection, and professional training opportunities — never to exploit students as labor.”