In 1952 less than 60 % of people over the age of 15 could read and write. Educational reforms in 1968 extended compulsory education to 9 years: Taiwan’s literacy rate climbed to 94 % by 1994. Education is free and compulsory for children between the ages of 6 and 15, when students complete junior high school. About 20 % of junior high graduates pass the high school entrance exam and about two-thirds attend vocational schools. Taiwan has more than 100 colleges and universities, with a total attendance of more than 700,000 students. Major institutions of higher education include National Taiwan University, in Taipei; National Central University, in Chungli; National Chunghsing University, in T’aichung; National Cheng Kung University, in T’ainan; and National Chung-shan University, in Kaohsiung.

A 9-year public educational system has been in effect since 1979. 6 years of elementary school and 3 years of junior high are compulsory for all children. About 96% of junior high graduates continue their studies in either a senior high or vocational school. The Law of Educational Budget Allocation passed in November 2000 mandates that the educational budget shall not be less than 21.5% of the average of the three previous years. Taiwan has an considerable higher education system with more than 150 institutions of higher learning. Each year over 100,000 students take the joint college entrance exam; about 66.6% of the candidates are admitted to a college or university. Opportunities for graduate education are expanding in Taiwan, but many students travel abroad for advanced education, including 13,000 who study in the United States annually