Only Tainan Univ. Not to Fully Implement Distance Learning 全台南唯一未全面遠距 南台科大生不滿

Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology is the only university in Tainan that does not have remote learning. Its students alleged that the school has done a less than ideal job in disease prevention and exposed them under a higher risk of infection.

Students rushed to the classroom early in the morning because Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology is still hosting in-person classes. The local epidemic has increased sharply and spread to schools. STUST has more than 300 confirmed cases. However, the university has not announced remote teaching yet, causing dissatisfaction among students.

Student, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology: “It is because the number of confirmed cases in our school is quite high. And I feel our school has properly disinfected our campus. I think safety is more important than anything.”

Student, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology: “Safety is more important when compared to in-person classes. We should wait at least until the epidemic slows down a bit.”

Student, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology: “Assuming distance learning is fully implemented, it will still not work.”

There are more than 18,000 students at STUST. Other Tainan universities, including Cheng Kung University and the National University of Tainan, have already announced distance learning until the end of this semester. STUST explained that some engineering students need in-person lab time and distance learning cannot overcome this problem. After listening to student needs, the university is allowing students to choose whether to study remotely or in-person to ensure each student's rights.

Lin Chih-hung, Vice President, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology: “Because some courses require physical work or practice. Or some require lab time or like gym class. These all require students to come to school to participate. Some students need to use school equipment for their courses. So our consideration was from a student's perspective.”

As for the students' allegations that the university is not effective in epidemic prevention, the school emphasized that relevant epidemic prevention actions are all handled in accordance with regulations. As of the 20th, as many as 75 colleges and universities across the country have implemented distance learning until the end of this semester. STUST said it will decide whether to implement full remote learning after communicating with students. 

南台科大校園裡頭，學生一早就趕著到教室上課，因為學校還是實施實體授課。本土疫情暴增延燒校園，南台科大也出現300多例確診個案，但校方卻沒有宣布要遠距教學，引發學生不滿。

南台科大學生說：「就是因為我們學校確診數蠻高，然後感覺消毒也沒有真的落實，因為比起說實作好了，我覺得安全比較重要。」

另一位南台科大學生也認為：「安全跟實作，還是覺得安全重要一點，至少要等疫情遲緩一點。」

不過，也有一名南台科大學生表示：「假設全部遠距，但也沒有效果。」

南台科大學生數1萬8000多人，但有別於其他學校，包括成功大學、台南大學等都已陸續宣布全面遠距到期末。南台校方解釋，有些工科學生有實作需求，遠距並無法克服這個問題，但也聽到學生需求，改為學生可自主選擇要遠距還是實體上課，確保每位學生的受教權益。

南台科大副校長林志鴻表示：「因為有些課程它是需要實作或是像實驗課，或是像體育課，這些都是要來學校參與。另外，有些是要用到學校的設備，所以我們的考量，會從學生學習的一個情況。」

至於學生指稱學校防疫不力，校方強調，相關防疫作為都依規定辦理，截至今日早上10時為止，全國大專院校已高達75校遠距教學到期末，至於南台要不要全面遠距，則有待校方再與學生溝通後決定。