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:::   The Bureau of Education was established in 1945, and is the highest educational authority in Kaohsiung. Its current director is Dr. Ying-yao Cheng. The department has 13 divisions and 106 staffs, and its mission is to oversee high schools, vocational high schools, junior high schools, elementary schools, social and physical studies and military education. Additionally, it is also responsible for evaluating and guiding schools and social education institutions of all levels. Dr. Cheng has placed a lot of emphasis on educational reform, computer education, evaluation and guidance of schools. High School and Vocational High School Education In the school year of 2004/2005, there are 31 public high schools and vocational high schools, 3,146 teachers, and 56,510 students in Kaoshiung. Kaohsiung Municipal High School has set up special classes for those who has musical talent, while Tso Ying High School offers classes for those gifted in art. Jui-Hsiang, Chung-cheng, Ku-shan and Hsin-hsing are six-year high schools serving grades 7-12. There are also public and private vocational high schools giving courses in business, home economics, technology, nursing, art …etc. Each school has its own featured curriculum, as well as career counseling, with which to help students to pass examinations for vocational certificate. Junior High School In Kaohsiung, there are 46 public junior high schools, 3,919 teachers, and 60,132 students. We aim to reinforce the normalization of curriculum. Also, for those who have learning difficulties, we offer special programs and potential development classes. We, moreover, try to reduce the amount of student per class and in this way, improve teaching quality. We have established a special committee to be in charge of consulting affairs, to offer vocational skills education and career consulting. The help of this special committee enables the students to discover their aptitude and to provide them with opportunities to develop their potentials. Elementary Education There are 92 public and private elementary schools, four primary schools for foreign residents, and 171 public and private kindergartens. We have 5,495 elementary school teachers and 120,770 students. Elementary school and kindergarten are the basis of education. For the past few years, the city has kept increasing new schools, improving teaching facilities and teaching environment, as well as elevating teaching quality. Regarding teaching method, we aim to help students develop their individual potential through a more open education. Moreover, in order to make students able to become international citizens, we provide them with more classes in English, computers, and local culture. The Fourth Division There are 48 schools taking charge of extension and remedial education, which benefit about 8,830 students a year. Furthermore, there are 850 private remedial schools. Nearly 10,000 students have enrolled in The Resident Learning Center every year. We are also planning to establish a community university in the future. The social educational organizations in Kaohsiung include Chiang Kai-Shek Cultural Center, Kaoshiung Museum of Fine Arts, Municipal Social Education Hall, Municipal Library and the Museum of History. Every year, numerous cultural and artistic activities, book fairs, and other local or international activities and academic conferences are held. There are three special education schools for handicapped students, along with 260 special education classes in vocational high schools, junior high schools and elementary schools. Similarly, we place a lot of emphasis on physical education and aim to provide students with basic physical and sports knowledge in order to help them form a life-long habit of exercise. Therefore, the focus of physical education is on the following: to provide long term training for outstanding athletes to increase sports facilities and space to guide the single-event sport association to hold a variety of single event sports meets so as to attract the public's interest in sports to make athletic exchanges with other countries to hold Seasonal Sports activities to achieve the goal - "Every citizen enjoys sports every day"