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S’porean teen shares LGBT-affirming experiences in Taiwan’s education sector, from inclusive sex ed to protections under Gender Equity Education Act

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An inclusive sex education syllabus and protections against discrimination under the Gender Equity Education Act are among resources available to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students in Taiwan, according to Singaporean teen Natalie Tai.

In an article for Dear Straight People published on Monday (6 Sep), Miss Tai, who has spent most of her life in Taiwan, said that provisions for LGBT students in Taiwan’s educational sector is “almost directly” in contrast with that of Singapore’s “status quo”.

“Since kindergarten, children are taught and encouraged to break gender stereotypes with many educational facilities even ridding traditional gender norms through gender-neutral toys and classroom roles.

“And throughout the course of middle and high school, the subject of gender diversity and sexual orientation becomes a topic brought out in health and social science classes – textbooks even highlight the fluidity and spectrum of gender identity, gender expression, biological sex, and sexual orientation,” she said.

LGBT-affirmative pamphlets are made available outside guidance counsellors’ offices, and there are teachers who sport Pride accessories in support of their LGBT students or even share their own experiences with their pupils, she added.

Protections against bullying and discrimination on the basis of gender identity are also enshrined in law in Taiwan.

Provisions under the enforcement rules pursuant to Article 37 of the Gender Equity Education Act, for example, mandate teachers to “provide support and protection to kids struggling with issues of sexuality and gender identity”, she said.

“Youths are educated on issues surrounding gender fluidity and sexual orientation, while teachers and counselors remain consciously aware of relevant discrimination and bullying,” Miss Tai added.

“This is not to say that homophobia and prejudice against queer people don’t exist among educators and students in Taiwan as there’s still much to be done. But it does show just how far Taiwan is willing to go in order to make schools a safer space for all students,” said Miss Tai.

In Singapore, on the other hand, Miss Tai said that the “censorship on speech and media makes it borderline impossible for teachers to express overt support” for their LGBT students.

As a results, LGBT youths in Singapore face challenges in obtaining mental, emotional and or physical assistance, she said.

Miss Tai also cited the recent #FixSchoolsNotStudents movement in Singapore, which she branded as “shocking”.

Also read: ITE transgender student allegedly “disciplined” for using women’s bathroom, threatened with criminal prosecution if she continues to do so

The movement, she said, “is a wake-up call that Singapore’s education system needs to step up its game in order to safeguard its LGBTQ+ youth and provide them with the safe learning environment they need”.

Also read: Protest outside Ministry of Education reflect “frustrations of youths who are continually silenced”: S’pore LGBT organisations

For Miss Tai, LGBT-inclusive sex education is not limited to “a lesson about the biology of human gender and sexuality”, but serves as “an indispensable channel for queer youth to confide in, a find safe space to normalize taboo topics around sexuality and queerness, and seemingly the perfect opportunity to jumpstart a new generation of cultural and sociopolitical equity in Singapore”.

Recalling a biology group project in which each group member had to carry out research a specific topic ranging from gender and sexuality to STDs and contraception, Miss Tai said that “our goal as a group was to formulate a letter for a hypothetical son of ours in an effort to guide him through the possible pitfalls of puberty and self-discovery”.

“Apart from offering practical advice surrounding matters of sexual health (like getting tested for STDs and using protection regardless of it being homosexual or heterosexual intercourse), this assignment also underscored etiquette as well as sensitivity and respect when facing trans or non-binary people with possible body or gender dysphoria,” she said.

Miss Tai said that beyond biology lessons, students were also educated on “the importance of respect, regardless of conflict upon opinions” and were “briefed about the sociopolitical struggles that still exist today for queer people in Taiwan”.

“Sex education may just be a single aspect of school life. But by painting an inclusive and well-represented picture of society within its lessons, it has the power to save lives on the line and catalyze the shift of a social perspective based upon mutual respect and compassion,” she said.

Also read: Teachers, social workers and LGBT groups urge MOE to implement clear policy on supporting transgender students in S’pore schools

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Police investigate assault on Qihua Primary School student after video surfaces online

The police are investigating an assault on a Qihua Primary School student after a video showing the attack emerged online. A teenager is seen repeatedly hitting the boy, prompting concerns about student safety. This is the second bullying video to surface within a week, with a similar incident involving Bukit View Secondary School reported earlier.

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1 week ago

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24 September 2024

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SINGAPORE: The police are investigating a case involving a student from Qihua Primary School, who was repeatedly attacked by a teenager.

The investigation was launched after a video of the incident emerged online, the authorities confirmed on 23 September.

According to a report by CNA, a formal complaint has been lodged with the police, and the investigation is ongoing.

The video, which lasts approximately 43 seconds, has been circulating on social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram.

It shows a teenager, dressed in a black T-shirt and jeans, physically assaulting a smaller boy wearing a school uniform from Qihua Primary, located in Woodlands.

In the video, the victim is cornered in a stairwell, where the teenager punches, kicks, and hurls him to the ground.

The aggressor orders the boy to put his hands behind his back before delivering punches to his stomach.

At several points, the boy is grabbed by the neck and thrown to the floor, where he continues to endure kicks and punches.

Throughout the attack, the boy repeatedly says, “Sorry, sorry, I won’t do it again,” while being taunted by the teenager and another individual, who may have been filming the incident.

At one point, the teenager can be heard asking, “You want to fight? You sure?” as the victim, now in tears, continues apologizing and insisting he will not repeat his actions.

The exact timing of the incident remains unclear.

Video source: Telegram/sgfollowsall

Qihua Primary School has acknowledged the situation, confirming that it is under police investigation.

“The safety and well-being of our students is our priority. We have provided counselling to the affected students and are working closely with their parents to ensure the well-being of all involved,” the school stated.

They further emphasized the importance of students looking out for each other and reporting any incidents of bullying to their teachers.

Second Bullying Video Emerges Within a Week

This incident marks the second time a bullying video has surfaced online in a week.

A separate TikTok video, posted about a week ago, showed a student from Bukit View Secondary School being taunted and kicked to the ground by a group of teenagers.

Bukit View Secondary School’s principal, Jaswant Singh, told The Straits Times that the incident occurred in October 2023 outside of school premises and was not initially reported to the school. The parents of the victim have since lodged a police report.

Following the video’s circulation, the school immediately checked on the victim, who did not report any injuries.

Mr Singh emphasized the school’s serious stance on such behaviour, stating that the students involved would be counseled and face appropriate disciplinary actions.

The victim’s parents have since lodged a police report. The police have confirmed that investigations are ongoing regarding the bullying incident.

In response to a Parliamentary Question filed by Melvin Yong, Member of Parliament for Radin Mas SMC, in September 2022, the Education Minister noted that since 2013, the number of reported bullying incidents has remained consistent, with approximately two cases per 1,000 primary students and five cases per 1,000 secondary students each year.

He emphasised that the MOE takes a serious stance on bullying and collaborates with schools to send a clear message that hurtful behavior is unacceptable in any school environment.

Helplines

If you or someone you know is in need of support, the following helplines are available:

  • Samaritans of Singapore Hotline: 1767
  • Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
  • Institute of Mental Health (24 hours): 6389-2222
  • Tinkle Friend (for primary school-aged children): 1800-274-4788

You can discover a directory of global helplines on this page.

If someone you are aware of is facing an imminent threat, please dial 24-hour emergency services.

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Education

Singapore to expand Higher Mother Tongue access in secondary schools from 2026

Singapore will allow students who excel in their Mother Tongue Language at the PSLE to take Higher Mother Tongue in secondary school starting in 2026, regardless of their overall PSLE score. The new policy is part of broader efforts to promote bilingualism and strengthen linguistic proficiency.

Published

3 weeks ago

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16 September 2024

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SINGAPORE: From 2026, students who perform well in their Mother Tongue Language (MTL) at the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) will be eligible to study Higher Mother Tongue at Secondary 1, regardless of their overall PSLE score, announced Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing on 14 September.

Under the current system, only students with an overall PSLE score of 8 or better, or those with a score between 9 and 14 who also achieve an AL1 or AL2 in MTL, or at least a merit in Higher Mother Tongue (HMTL), can qualify to take HMTL in secondary school.

However, from 2026, eligibility will be based solely on their MTL performance.

Students will be able to study HMTL if they score AL1 or AL2 in MTL or attain a distinction or merit in HMTL at the PSLE, regardless of their overall score.

Mr Chan, speaking at the 2024 Mother Tongue Languages Symposium, emphasised the importance of supporting students with linguistic strengths.

“All of us have different strengths and talents. Some students may be strong in languages but not in other subjects,” he said.

“We will support more of these students to take Higher Mother Tongue, so they can learn their MTL to as high a level as possible.”

The initiative forms part of broader efforts to promote bilingualism, which Mr Chan described as a “cornerstone of Singapore’s education system” and a key aspect of Singapore’s national identity.

He noted that bilingualism not only helps to strengthen the country’s social fabric but also enhances cognitive abilities, such as empathy and the understanding of different perspectives.

In a related development, the Ministry of Education (MOE) announced the launch of the MTL SOAR programme, which will begin in 2025 for Primary 1 and 2 students.

Under this programme, 30 minutes of the Mother Tongue curriculum will be allocated to reading and library activities, with the initiative to be extended to all primary levels by 2029.

The programme aims to support diverse learners by providing supplementary reading materials tailored to different proficiency levels.

Mr Chan highlighted the programme’s adaptability, explaining that “those who are stronger in mother tongue proficiency can read more books that are richer in content and be stretched in their learning, while those who need more support will have books that are more accessible for them.”

Additionally, as part of a pilot programme, MOE will extend the daily Mother Tongue curriculum at MOE Kindergartens from one hour to 1.5 hours, beginning with the 2025 Kindergarten 1 cohort at MK@Hougang and MK@Elias Park.

The pilot will be gradually expanded to more kindergartens.

The series of initiatives follows Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s National Day Rally speech in August, where he acknowledged concerns about declining standards in Mother Tongue proficiency and announced plans to enable more students to take Higher Mother Tongue in secondary schools.

Mr Chan underscored the cognitive and cultural benefits of bilingualism, stating, “The ability to speak two languages and understand two cultures enables us to maintain a strong link to our heritage and forge connections with people around the world.”

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