(chart by Jackie Chen/layout by Lee Su-ling/tr. by Phil Newell)
Time
Event
Background
Early 1950s
The National Institute of Compilation and Translation drew up texts for primary school Chinese, math. social studies, and science; and middle school Chinese, civics, history, and geography. Texts for other classes were done by the Taiwan Provincial Government or private publishers.
The government had just moved to Taiwan; to strengthen anti-communism and instill nationalist spirit, the government instituted standardized production of many textbooks.
1968
Compulsory education was expanded from 6 to 9 years. Under orders from then-President Chiang Kai-shek, the government's National Institute of Compilation and Translation (NICT) took charge of unified production of all middle and primary school texts.
Corruption had been a serious problem in textbook selection and purchasing.
(Chiang Kai-shek's instructions to change textbooks.)
1989
The Ministry of Education promised a "gradual destandardization" of textbook production. The first step would be allowing private sector production of texts for middle school music, arts, and scouting classes. Work also began on altering the curricula for middle and primary schools, which had not been revised in many years.
Political liberalization had recently begun; the authoritarian system was loosening up. People were strongly critical of biases in existing textbooks (such as their depiction of women, and glorification of political leaders); the NICT system of having textbooks edited by the same people year after year; and the process of printing of texts, which was a monopoly of the Unified Supply Board.
1994
Under pressure from legislators bemoaning "procrastination" in opening textbook production to the private sector, the Ministry of Education promised complete destandardization for primary school texts by September 1996. However, because of problems related to the exam system, the Ministry asked for a delay for exam-related middle-school textbooks to prepare an integrated reform of all relevant aspects.
1997
With legislators threatening to eliminate the budget for the Ministry of Education, Minister Wu Ching promised the following: Production of middle school texts will be completely opened to the private sector the year after next. By the year 2000, middle school texts will be completely destandardized, and by 2002 the NICT will complete its withdrawal from all aspects of editing for primary and middle school texts.
In 1996, the MOE began rewriting primary and middle school course outlines; new texts for use beginning in 2000 will be based on these outlines.