The education ministry has started classes in the Hokkien and Hakka languages for immigrants to Taiwan. The initiative is part of the ministry’s adult education program.

Last year, the ministry’s Mandarin-language program for immigrants attracted more than 10,000 students. However, a survey of immigrants’ needs revealed that many need to master the Hokkien and Hakka languages.

Though long treated as mere dialects of Chinese, banned from schools, and discouraged in public life, they remain the home language of many Taiwanese families. They have also enjoyed promotion in recent years, with both now having dedicated television stations.

An education ministry official says that many immigrants to Taiwan have married into Taiwanese families, and need to know one of these languages in addition to Mandarin in order to fit in with their in-laws. As a result, 29 Hokkien and four Hakka classes of immigrants are being rolled out across Taiwan this year.