The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has designated 1,570 primary and secondary schools nationwide to test operate the Teacher Evaluation System starting March 2009, sharply increasing the number of pilot schools from the previous year's 669.

First proposed in 2005, the evaluation scheme has been test-run in an annually increasing number of schools over the years, backed by favorable results and responses.  The scheme is scheduled for full implementation at all schools nationwide starting March 2010, once the bill to revise the Primary and Secondary Education Act passes the National Assembly.

This year, the evaluation system will be adopted at 833 primary, 482 middle, 243 high, and 12 special schools.  Consulting teams will be set up at the Ministry and relevant local education offices to support the schools, along with the provision of budgetary support and incentives.  The consulting teams, composed of educational experts, incumbent teachers, university faculty and government officials, will cover activities such as site visits, online interaction, e-mail consultation and local training support.  Level-differentiated budgets will be subsidized according to school size, to be used in system administration, course preparation, teacher training, etc.

A new feature of this year's system trial is that evaluations will be conducted not only for subject-instructing teachers at regular schools, but also for special school teachers and those responsible for non-subject fields including healthcare teachers, librarians, counseling teachers and nutrition teachers.

Upon analyzing the results of trial operation, which will conclude in October, the Ministry will revise and supplement evaluation indices and make final improvements, in preparation for the system's full introduction in the coming year.

* Press release (Feb. 25)