TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — In an effort to prepare young people for a potential military conflict involving China, one high school in Kaohsiung has established a shooting range on school grounds for students to practice their marksmanship.
Earlier in 2023, Kaohsiung Municipal San Min High School opened its newest educational facility for students; an indoor air-gun shooting range for students to practice firing handguns and rifles. The range is also available for students from other high schools provided classes arrange the visit with administrators beforehand, reported RFI.
Most high schools in Taiwan prepare temporary shooting ranges in cooperation with the Ministry of National Defense (MND) for students to learn the basics of handling firearms, and have done so for decades. However, these typically involve tents set-up outdoors and are only used for one or two days at a time.
San Min High School is the first in Taiwan to establish a permanent indoor shooting range available for use all year round. The facility, which opened in the spring semester, also offers courses in first-aid and a flight simulator for students interested in military aircraft.
The Kaohsiung Education Bureau’s Office of Campus Security, which helped San Min High School establish the shooting range, is currently promoting the “All-Out Defense” educational initiative. The goal of the program is to give all students throughout the city a clear understanding of what national defense entails, per RFI.
The program aims to teach students about the importance of preparedness for emergency situations, and not being caught off guard if a military conflict materializes. In a report from NTD News, the school’s chief military instructor emphasized that students are aware of the ongoing war in Ukraine and that they know that “national defense concerns everyone.”
As China continues to harass and threaten Taiwan, educational initiatives similar to Kaohsiung’s “All-Out Defense” will likely be implemented in other regions of Taiwan. San Min High School may be the first high school to establish an indoor shooting facility, but it is unlikely to be the last.
