Parliament approves changes to teaching of Chinese language

PJ_Quek SG

Parliament approves changes to teaching of Chinese language

SINGAPORE : Parliament has approved the changes to the teaching of Chinese language in Singapore schools.

Education Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said some changes, like cutting back the curriculum by 10 to 15 percent, would take place from next year.

There was strong support by MPs for the moves to make the learning of Chinese language more relevant to students.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong spoke during the debate and emphasised how important the bilingual policy has been for Singaporeans.

Speaking for about an hour, he emphasised that bilingualism has helped to hold Singapore together, create a common working language in English and helped to forge a Singapore identity.

But he said times have changed.

Mr Lee said: "We are making these changes to the teaching of Chinese so that we can make bilingualism work under new circumstances. If we just left it be, it is working now, more or less we can carry on for another five or 10 years, but if we do not change with changing circumstances, eventually the policy will snap and will fail.

"We are more cosmopolitan. The world is more connected, we have to work harder to make sure that our next generation retains a sense of self and cultural identity - at least watch Singapore Idol and not just American Idol."

MPs had expressed concerns that the changes seem to be motivated solely by economic concerns.

Mr Lee said that is not so, but the reality is that the economic value of learning the language helps Singaporeans.

He met a young Singaporean woman working in Shanghai as a wine waitress.

Mr Lee said: "She found the opportunity and had to learn all the wine terms in Chinese. I do no know how you do it, the shape of the cork, the smell of the wine, but she pursued to tell a story in Chinese about French wine, mind you, not Chinese wine."

As for those who lament about falling standards, Mr Lee said the important thing is that students and parents have to buy in and have to make the choice on their own on what level they want their children to reach.

Opposition MP Low Thia Kiang asked: "Does the Prime Minister not concerned that students at the end of primary 6 education are not able to attain a certain basic primary 6 standard proficiency in Chinese Language and will find it more onerous in secondary school to study the language in secondary school and may give up altogether?"

Mr Lee replied: "Whether we are able to maintain a level for primary school in future, we cannot say for sure - empirical question that we have to establish.

"We also have to find out as we go on, we cannot say these are standards and come hell or highwater, we are going to get there because it depends on pupils and their abilities."

Hence, it is important to remain open-minded about future changes.

To promote the learning of Chinese, Mr Lee said the Chinese community hopes to raise $10 million, which the Education Ministry will match dollar for dollar.

As for the review of Malay and Tamil, MPs lamented that the standards today are unrealistic and also not relevant.

Mr Lee agreed.

"If you listen to radio in Chennai radio, they use all kinds of English words...and colloquialisms and we have not kept up with it. We have been preserved in a jelly and we are speaking a form not spoken anywhere else in the world," he said.

MPs were given the assurance though that the review, to start in January, will be just as comprehensive as the review for Chinese.

Mr Tharman, who wrapped up debate, addressed the details which MPs has raised.

These include the pace at which the changes will be introduced and the morale and training of teachers.

He announced that while the full implementation of the changes will be in 2008, some changes will start next year.

The changes include cutting down the character list which students need to learn and new textbooks with a reduced syllabus from next year.

It also include reducing some character stroke memorising for the 'O' levels in 2006 and increasing the weightage of the oral exams by 5 percent and allowing an electronic hand-held dictionary for school based exams in 2006 and national exams in 2007.

Mr Tharman said the changes would give teachers more space to introduce innovative teaching methods and customise the curriculum to pupils' abilities.

He stressed they are not aimed at making the learning easier but more relevant and useful.

He also responded to concerns that it could be another form of streaming, and said this will not be so.

Mr Tharman said: "The face of bilingualism will change with each generation of Singaporeans as our society evolves and as the dynamics of the world changes.

"We must be flexible and responsive in our strategies. We have to keep an open mind, keep listening to teachers on the ground and never assume that we have it right for all time.

"We will adapt our strategies and develop resources to make sure we succeed. We will do likewise to make sure the Malay language and Tamil languages continue to thrive for generations to come."

PJ_Quek SG

Singaporeans have advantage as English is adopted in schools and as working language: MM Lee

SINGAPORE : Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew lent his weight to the debate on the changes to Chinese language by giving a rare speech in Parliament on Thursday, supporting the changes.

Mr Lee, who has not spoken in this Parliament that is since 2002, spoke for about an hour and a half to a rapt and full house.

In his style, Mr Lee covered the depth and breadth of the issue, and did not mince his words.

He said Singaporeans had to realise that they cannot be custodians of the Chinese Language, Malay, Tamil or whatever language in the region.

Instead, because Singapore has chosen English for the school system and as the working language, Singaporeans have an advantage in the world which few others have.

Mr Lee asked: "Why are we useful? Ask the people who have been there, because we are English-speaking, because we have English connections to the English-speaking world - US, Europe, Japan, Australia New Zealand, India - large parts of the English-speaking world, that is our value add, we know the outside world better than they do. We are a partner and we bring something to the table."

And it is particularly so when dealing with the Chinese.

Mr Lee again asked: "What's my value to them? Why do they talk to me? Because my Mandarin is good? No, once we are doing business, we talk in English.

"So will we be as useful in the future? It is difficult to say. They will learn at the top but in Southeast Asia, we are still the specialist, we live here, that's why I say do not lose our regional connections - Malay - they will never understand the region like we do because we are part of this region - that is our value add, they cannot take away from us."

And that is why the bilingual policy is still important - and the changes are practical ones.

Mr Lee said: "The first business of a parent is to make sure his or her child can make a living. It is as simple as that. Therefore we decided that however unpleasant, however contrary to the concept of a homogenous soceity, each racial group will learn his mother tongue as a second language...was that policy right or wrong? If you bring me back to 1965, yes I would still adopt that policy."

He gave an amusing example of how languages must be used or lost.

"Nobody can predict which language would be of the greatest value. I thought I knew, so I advised my eldest son to do Russian for 'O' levels. After mastering English, Chinese and Malay, I said do Russian. You are doing mathematics, Russians are good mathematicians and chess players. He did dictation in Russian - distinction. Today, it is lost. I asked him when you were sitting with Putin, did you understand him? He said no."

Mr Lee said he was wrong to think that each person could master two languages to equal ability.

The choice will ultimately lie with parents.

Mr Lee said: "Every parent wants the best for their children, so they are beginning to switch to English at home to give their children that extra advantage. If you start learning English at home, Chinese would go down unless you are very sure that they are able to pick up English on their own - which is not very easy."

And this is exactly what has happened to his grandchildren's generation.

Mr Lee said: "They went to the same primary schools - Nanyang kindergarten and primary school - but when I speak to them in Mandarin, they give short replies and they switch to English. They are more comfortable in English.

"I spoke to Wee Cho Yaw - and his children, his sons are Chinese-educated. What else changed? Because the students in Nanyang kindergarten and primary school now speak to each other in English! Where is the language environment? Is it the children's fault? No."

Instead of lamenting falling standards, what is needed is to ensure children enjoy learning the language and have a motivation to study it.

Mr Lee said: "I learnt it because I was powerfully motivated. It was a matter of life and death. If I did not learn Mandarin, how could I hold Tanjong Pagar? How could I be an Assembly man? How could I be Secretary-General of the PAP? I simply had to learn it.

"If I did not learn Hokkien, how could I have fought in Hong Lim? The referendum go around. All the constituencies carried the ground and got my ideas across! It's motivation. What is the motivation now?

"China now makes it a language with economic advantages, so we do not have to tell parents 'this is foolish you better do it'. When we talk about culture, roots, they are thinking jobs, security, future. They do not tell you this publicly - "tiew lian" - but that's their calculation. But now my advice to them is you decide, but do not aim too low. If you aim to low for your child, you may regret it."

Mr Lee wrapped by saying that the issue will never be settled as language evolved and changed.

Mr Lee added: "I do not see Singapore giving up English as a working language because then we will perish, nor do I see Singapore or I fear Singapore losing its mother tongues...we start off with the realities. That this is what we are and we should be grateful we have got here in one piece.

"And the fact that we are able to talk about these things now without arousing deep emotional reaction is a great advance. This is about where we are. How do you take it forward?

"I say please take note of how we have evolved it gradually and let it evolve further. Do not go for one stroke solutions. You may regret it."

Gackt247 SG

changes alittle long over due.. alittle too late.. finish my As already.. well at least the ruling of a min a pass was beneficial..