"Kainan may not be the top-rated school in Taiwan, but my classmates dont have to go to cram schools, they take me out a lot, and every day I get to practice my Chinese. In my mind, Kainan Commercial High is the best!" Foreign student Mary Hestilow, who has been in Taiwan just seven months, delivers this opinion in fluent Chinese, causing chuckles among the audience while sharing experiences at the Symposium on Foreign Students in Taiwans High Schools organized by the Ministry of Education.

Prior to the liberalization on enrollment at the Ministry of Education, the Rotary Club International had already arranged for exchange students to study in Taiwanese high schools, but their time here was limited to one year. Changchunteng High is currently home to six foreign students in residence, but they cannot be issued diplomas. The ministrys new policy will allow foreign students to obtain formal academic credentials, and many schools are vying to have foreign students enter, hoping that the policy will be extended downward to allow foreign students in elementary schools as well.

Through the Rotarys program, German student Annika Benita Otto came to Taiwan to study at Chin-he High in Taipei County. She says that for learning Chinese and for a general study environment, Taiwan is much better than China. "Taiwanese people are so friendly to foreigners, and my classmates were very good to me," says Tsai.

Annika Benita Otto wholeheartedly supports the policy of school uniforms as well. "In the morning, you dont have to worry about what to wear. Thats really great. Just put on your uniform. I felt just like a real Taiwanese student."

"The sad thing is, my classmates are too busy. They have to go to cram school all the time, and dont have time to take me to Shilin for fun." says Canadian student Barbara Forbes, currently at Chunghe High School in Taipei County, envying Chens experience at Kainan.

Additionally, the Ministry of Education is currently limiting foreign admissions to Taiwanese high schools to students from 30 nations, including the United States, Canada, Great Britain, France, Japan, and Korea. Among Southeast Asian countries, only Malaysian students are eligible. Many schools hope to be able to extend the policy to students from Myanmar and Vietnam as well.