The death of well-known hiker “G Brother” Wu Jiyun in a valley fall last month has drawn widespread attention to the issue of “mountain education.” The Supervisory Yuan stated that to ensure the safety of citizens engaging in mountain activities, it initiated an investigation as early as January 4, 2012, into concerns that “mountain education might have become merely formalistic.” On September 16, 2012, the investigation report was reviewed and approved, and letters were sent to the National Fire Agency under the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Education calling for improvements.
The investigation report pointed out that the Ministry of Education’s Campus Safety Center required schools to conduct relevant mountain safety education and awareness campaigns before holidays. Before winter and summer breaks, all schools were asked to send letters to parents listing various safety precautions and requesting their assistance in ensuring students’ safety during off-campus activities. During the 98th academic year, vocational colleges and universities offered courses related to mountain education, mountaineering, mountain accident response, safety education, wilderness first aid, and survival skills. A total of 15 schools and 21 departments offered 56 such courses, with a total of 1,762 students enrolled.
As mountain accidents continue to occur from time to time, the investigation report specifically calls on the Ministry of Education to continuously strengthen its focus on mountain education in tertiary institutions. It urges the development of comprehensive course designs and supporting measures, as well as the implementation of effective management and review processes for mountain education, to ensure the safety of citizens participating in mountain activities.
The Supervisory Yuan stated that since the release of its investigation report, it has directly or indirectly prompted various sectors to pay attention to related issues. For example: Public Television Service News reported “Preventing Mountain Accidents: Taitung Establishes the First Mountain Education Training Center”; the National Education Radio reported “Implementing Mountain Education: Hualien County Government and the Taiwan Mountain Education Promotion Association Co-hosted the 2018 Mountain Education Gathering for Schools at All Levels – Eastern Gathering… Learning How to Coexist with Nature”; the Pingtung County Government Education Bureau also mentioned in a press release: “The First National-Level Mountain Education Gathering for Schools at All Levels in 2018 was a nationwide event where five counties and cities—Pingtung, Kaohsiung, Hualien, Taitung, and Taoyuan—held events simultaneously on Wednesday, October 3, 2018…”; Taroko National Park Headquarters also organized the “2018 Mountain Safety Lecture.” Meanwhile, questions such as “What is mountain education?” and “How should mountain education be promoted?” also became part of the 2018 Senior High School Level 3 Physical Education Administration exam under the topic “Principles of Physical Education.”
The Supervisory Yuan pointed out that human life is priceless, and safety must be the top priority in any leisure or outdoor activity. As the national human rights body, the Supervisory Yuan will continue to urge relevant agencies to adopt preventive strategies, prevent mountain accidents, and safeguard the right to life of the people.
(China Times)