The education reform in Taiwan may take yet another turn in two years, but for some it is more like a step backward. The Ministry of Education announced earlier this week that starting from 2012,

there may only be one Basic Competence Test for Junior High students each year, and the current 80-point grading scale may also be replaced with one of 100. Both of them mark a return to the system that experts set out to reform 10 years ago.

This years Second Basic Competence Test for Junior High students just ended a couple of days ago, and it may soon be history in two years time.

The Ministry of Education has announced its plan to cancel the second test in as early as 2012, leaving the students with only one chance per year.

And its also considering changing the grading system from a scale of 80 to one of 100.

Education officials argue that the new grading scale will more accurately reflect differences in students' test performance and therefore make the results more objective and fair.

While some teachers support these new policies, others are more skeptical.

First of all, The National Teachers' Association complained that the new came out too suddenly, and it advised that any major change in the current system should be announced at least three years before its implementation.

Secondly, there is nothing new about these measures.

Both the 100-point-scale and the one-test-per-year format were long in place before the education reform started a decade ago. And if they seem so desirable,

why were they discarded in the first place? It's a question that needs to be answered before the old system can make its triumphant return.

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