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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》NTU offers students more ceremonial leave days
People walk past National Taiwan University’s main gate in Taipei in an undated photograph. Photo: Lin Cheng-kung, Taipei Times
By Lin Hsiao-yun and Esme Yeh / Staff reporter, with staff writer
National Taiwan University （NTU） on Wednesday increased the amount of indigenous ceremonial leave students can take to four days each semester, with an additional two days of multicultural leave, the NTU Student Association said yesterday.
NTU’s Student Counseling Committee approved revisions of the leave request procedures to allow two days of multicultural leave each semester for any student who can provide proof of their participation in activities such as traditional holidays, religious ceremonies and folk festivals.
It also increased indigenous ceremonial leave from one day each academic year to four days each semester for students who are indigenous, or whose spouse or parents are indigenous.
NTU is following the example of National Chengchi University （NCCU）, which was the first university in Taiwan to offer students multicultural leave. From this semester, NCCU has offered students two days of multicultural leave each academic year, and raised the number of days for indigenous ceremonial leave from one to five each academic year.
NTU should take a more proactive role in protecting and promoting diverse cultures, as it is one of the best higher education facilities in Taiwan, and has students who have a variety of national, ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds, the student association said.
Multicultural leave attests to the inclusion in Taiwan, where different ethnic and religious groups respect and understand each other, it added.
To evaluate the feasibility of offering students multicultural leave, the Ministry of Education’s Education Administration last year hosted a meeting attended by experts, academics and select group representatives.
Those at the meeting determined that it would be best not to recognize particular dates as multicultural holidays due to the sheer number of faiths and festivals, but said schools should offer flexible leave out of respect for students’ needs to attend multicultural activities.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
