Release Date 5 November 2021     Mandarin

Last year Executive Yuan introduced a new “salute to the seas” policy to promote maritime education and protect the marine environment. The policy encouraged the public to embrace the ocean and build correct knowledge on safe ways to enjoy the water.

The Sports Administration (SA) of the Ministry of Education has been promoting the water safety campaign for two years. Last year, it established the Open Water Sports Education Center, with six branches across the nation.

The six district centers aimed to make the public swim with water safety knowledge and common sense. The centers encouraged the public to exercise safe and responsible behavior in and around the water via campaigns, workshops, and training camps. Students can join workshops to learn how to swim safely, and teachers can join training camps to inspire more children.

Kao, Xing-Yi, Director of the Southern District Center and Associate Professor of Marine Leisure Management Department (MLM), said: “Our center provides swimming and water safety activities for students of all ages. To ensure the safety of everyone in all water events, we have designed two forms, ‘Student Self Health Assessment and Parental Consent Form’ and ‘Event Safety Inspection Checklist.’ These forms would help us reach that goal of water safety and efficiently prevent water-related injuries.”

On Nov 5, SA invited students of a watersports club from Chiucheng Elementary School (舊城國小) to enjoy water activities on the Lotus Lake. Under the guidance of professional coaches, many students had a great time on canoes, dragon boats, or keelboats on the lake.

Further Reading

Executive Yuan – Major Policies: Investing in Ocean Research

Translated/Edited by Jess Lin