Chinese Language Education

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mdm Ho Geok Choo
MP for West Coast GRC

Question

To ask the Acting Minister for Education following the introduction of Chinese Syllabus B and subsequent media announcements,

(a) what message is the Ministry sending with regard to the learning of Chinese in schools;

(b) how will the Ministry re-present its views on the learning of Chinese in schools such that students will no longer see it as an obsolete language;

(c) will the comment by the Senior Minister about nurturing 200 students a year with a deep understanding of China result in the nurturing of a group of "Mandarins" who may excel in the Chinese language but are not well-rounded academically; and

(d) what criteria should be considered to ensure a proper admission qualification for this group.

Response

1.    The learning of the mother tongue is and will remain a key part of the national curriculum in schools and junior colleges.  The government is  committed to preserving the mother tongue languages, helping students recognise their importance, and encouraging them to use the language. The reasons are clear. Singapore has always benefited from being a bridge between East and West, and we must sustain that position. China's ascendance in the world makes this role indispensable for Singapore's future. We have to engage with China and be part of the flow of ideas, business and culture between China and the world. Equally fundamental is the fact that we are an Asian society, and our mother tongue languages give us our identity and confidence as a people.

2.    Our objective is to encourage every Chinese Singaporean to study the Chinese Language (CL) in school for as long as possible, and to as high a level as he is capable of. Students are required to study the language throughout their school years, and in junior college.  We recognise that not all students have the same natural abilities in the languages, or the same home language backgrounds. By providing the option of taking the language at the Higher Chinese (HCL) or CL 'B' level, the curriculum allows different groups of students to go as far as they can achieve with reasonable effort.

3.     We provide incentives for students to take the language at the Higher Chinese (HCL) level if they are capable of doing so. These incentives are working well. Following the easing of the eligibility criteria for HCL earlier this year, we now have about 6900 students taking HCL at Secondary 1 this year, an increase of 24%.  More students are also taking HCL in primary schools. This increased interest does not support Mdm Ho's perception that students see Chinese as an obsolete subject.

4.      In the junior colleges, fewer students are choosing to repeat their exams in CL at the 'AO' level, after their first year, following the change in university admission requirements. However, more students in JC1 are now taking CL as a full A level subject (CL 'A') and HCL, both of which count like any other 'A' level content subjects for university admission.  As part of the new JC curriculum in a few years time, MOE is also studying the introduction of  a 'China Studies' elective, which could cover economic and social issues in contemporary China, besides Chinese culture.  Beyond the examinations, incentives and entry requirements, we have to do more to help students develop an intrinsic interest in the Chinese Language and culture. They must be motivated to learn the language for its own worth, enjoy learning it, and want to continue using it after they leave school. We are shaping an appropriate curriculum and innovative teaching strategies in schools to help students develop this interest. But it will also need the active support and encouragement of parents, to help our children recognise the usefulness of the language to their future.

5.      The Chinese Language Curriculum and Pedagogy Review Committee is taking a thorough look at our CL curriculum. It is studying new approaches to learning of CL -   including the syllabuses, textbooks, assessment and teaching methodologies - aimed at helping students learn the language effectively and to want to use it.  

6.      Besides developing a base of competence in CL and a basic grounding in Chinese culture, we have to expose more of our young to developments in contemporary China.  Several of our schools are already providing students with this exposure, through their informal curriculum and immersion trips to China, and we intend to expand this base in coming years.

7.      This broad base of students with competence in CL and an interest in China will not however be sufficient. As mentioned by Senior Minister recently, we have to nurture a group of students in each generation who can engage China in depth. It is critical that we develop an elite group of students who not only have a strong command of the language, but a deep understanding of Chinese culture and history, including contemporary China.

8.      Mdm Ho Geok Choo asked if this scheme will result in a group of students who may excel in the Chinese Language but are not well-rounded academically.  I can assure her that this will not be the case.  The aim is to develop an elite core in each generation who can effectively operate in more than one 'channel'  -   able to engage with China and have a deep understanding of Chinese thinking and society, and able to relate to the West.  We will provide these highly able students with a foundation of China-related studies and exposure to China, integrated within a broad-based curriculum comprising the sciences and humanities.

9.     We are working out the details for this new scheme. The criteria for selection, structure and content of the programme, scholarships and expected career options will be announced later.

Co-Curricular Activities

Name and Constituency of  Member of Parliament

Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan
MP for Hong Kah GRC

Question

To ask the Acting Minister for Education with the recent plan to get more students involved  in sports and uniformed groups,  revising the co-curricular activities (CCA) points and introducing a ninth uniformed group

(a) what is the existing percentage of students participating in sports and uniformed groups in primary and secondary schools;

(b) what other steps are being planned to ensure that more students can participate in sports or uniformed groups; and

(c) has his Ministry set targets to increase participation.

Response

1     Currently, about 35% of primary school students and 38% of secondary school and junior college students take sports as their Core CCA.  For the uniformed groups, currently about 6% of primary school students and 37% of secondary school students have uniformed groups as their Core CCA. 
 
2     We are creating more opportunities for broad-based participation in sports at the school and zone levels, so as to reverse the trend of declining participation over the years.  A good number of schools have stepped up efforts to engage the majority of their students in sports. We are encouraging this amongst more schools.  

3     At the school level, we will leverage on the House System to allow more students wishing to participate in games at a recreational level.  With the assistance of student sports leaders, we expect that at least 70% of secondary school and JC students will have the opportunity to be involved in 2 sports events organised by the Houses.  We are also encouraging schools to use PE lessons to teach a variety of sports and games skills.

4     We launched a Student Sports Coaching Course and a Student Sports Official Course earlier this year. This year we hope to train 100 student sports coaches and officials in each of four games, namely, basketball, netball, soccer and touch rugby. They will assist their teachers by coaching their peers in school in basic sports skills, or help officiate in intra-house sports competitions.  The scheme provides these students with additional opportunities to develop leadership.   

5     From next year, workshops in schools will be conducted for student leaders in Badminton, Table Tennis, Tennis, Volleyball and Floorball.  Over time and with experience, we hope to widen this programme to more sports and games, depending on demand. 

6     Schools can also tap on adult volunteers, especially parents. MOE has also recently extended the current Volunteer Adult Leaders (VAL) scheme for Uniformed Groups to all CCAs.  This allows schools to tap on the enthusiasm of parent volunteers with  relevant sports skills.

7     At zonal level, we have formed Sports Development Committees this year to promote sports among students who do not have the opportunity to represent their school in the sport.  This has taken off well, and the various zones will be organising games competitions and carnivals this year for about 15,000 students in primary and secondary schools. 

8     We will continue to collaborate with our partners such as the Singapore Sports Council, and the various National Sports Associations and the Uniformed Groups Councils to further extend our activities.  In fact, schools are already tapping into the Singapore Sports Council's "Learn-To-Play" sports@basic programme with the aim of allowing more pupils to take part in the recreational sports.   

9      Uniformed Groups (UGs) are another important activity which can foster ruggedness in our students.  Some schools had given us feedback that having more options for UGs will help in expanding student participation.  We will be starting a new Uniformed Group, the National Civil Defence Cadet Corps, as a new CCA starting next year.  The new UG will be jointly run by MOE and MHA, and will be piloted in 8 secondary schools.

10    We have revised the ranking system for schools to give greater recognition to schools that put effort into developing their students holistically. It will take into account the breadth of student participation  in activities which promote physical health. We have also tweaked our CCA grading system for students to introduce greater flexibility, and encourage students to take a sport on a non-competitive basis as a second CCA.  It also gives added recognition to students who represent Combined Schools or Singapore in sports, who have to spend long hours in training.  

11     With these strategies in place, all secondary school students will have the opportunity to be involved in sports and other rugged activities, at either the recreational or competitive level. We hope to see a progressive increase in student participation in sports at all levels, but are not setting hard targets to be achieved. I should add that none of our initiatives will mandate participation in sports. We will encourage, and provide greater opportunities for students to engage in sports and rugged activities, but not make it obligatory to do so.