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.
Both the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office and the Manila Economic and Cultural Office, as well as the Department of Migrant Workers, have yet to react to the issue.