20 January 1999

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CHINESE LANGUAGE IN SCHOOLS

In line with the objectives and guiding principles set out in the policy framework, Ministry of Education has drawn up a set of measures to strengthen the teaching and learning of Chinese Language (CL) in our education system.

2. These measures can be divided into three parts:

	Regenerating Chinese Literary Elite
	Pitching CL at a Level of Difficulty Attainable by the Vast Majority of Chinese Students
	Helping Students With Extreme Difficulty in CL

3. The specific changes, their implementation timeframe and transitional arrangements are given in the summary table below.

CHANGES	IMPLEMENTATION TIMEFRAME	TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS/OTHER REMARKS
(I) Regenerating Chinese Literary Elite
Enlarging the Pool of Students Offering Higher Chinese (HCL) at All Levels Primary Extend Shen Guang (enrichment materials) to non-seed primary schools. Principals will be given the discretion to provide the enrichment materials to students who are stronger in CL and whom they feel can cope with the enrichment materials; EM2 students who have scored a Band 1 in CL at P4 Streaming, and at least a Band 2 in EL and Mathematics, be given the opportunity to offer Higher Chinese (HCL) at P5. The same rule will apply for EM2 students who wish to offer Higher Malay (HML) and Higher Tamil (HTL) at P5. Secondary Extend eligibility to allow students in the top 21-30% of PSLE, who have scored either an A* in CL or a Distinction in HCL, and at least an A in EL, to offer HCL at the secondary level. The same rule will apply to students who wish to offer HML and HTL at the secondary level. JC Broaden the base of students taking the Language Elective Programme (LEP), by designating Nanyang JC as the 3^rd LEP Centre. Award two bonus points for admission to Hwa Chong JC, Temasek JC and Nanyang JC, for those students admitted to the LEP. University MOE is exploring with the Universities the possibility of introducing bonus points for entry into Chinese Studies in NUS for those strong in Chinese, and Communications Studies in NTU for those strong in Mother Tongue, at AO- or A-Level	From 1999 From 2000 From 2000 From 1999 From 1999
Primary and secondary HCL textbooks will be re-written to incorporate a stronger element of cultural content, but maintaining the standard of the current textbooks. Formalise "Introduction to Appreciation of Chinese" as enrichment course for all Sec 1 and 2 SAP school students.	Revised textbooks to be ready for use at: P3 and Sec 1 in 2003. Sec 2 in 2004, Sec 3 in 2005, Sec 4 in 2006. From 2000
School Environment Make Nan Hua Secondary School our 10^th Special Assistance Plan (SAP) school. Students in the top 11-30% of PSLE who meet the language criteria to offer HCL, will be given a second chance to opt for SAP schools through the Second Option.	School will acquire SAP status from 2000. From 1999 PSLE
(II) Pitching CL at a Level of Difficulty Attainable by the Vast Majority of CL Students
Instructional Materials Primary and secondary CL textbooks will be re-written to pitch their difficulty level of previous (CLIPS/CLIMS) textbooks.	Revised textbooks will be introduced based on the following schedule: P1,P2 & S1 N(A) - 2002 P3 & S1 - 2003 P4 & S2 - 2004 P5 & S3 - 2005 P6 & S4 - 2006	In the interim, students will continue to use the existing CL textbooks, but teachers will be issued with guidelines on the more difficult parts of the textbooks to be omitted. These interim changes will be implemented progressively from the start of Term 2 of 1999 and completed by the start of Term 3 of 1999. Teachers will be briefed and enough notice will be given.
Examinations Review of PSLE CL examination format The examination format will be revised to give greater weighting to aural and oral skills, and to design the examination to test the skills that we want the children to learn. The type and nature of examination items will be revised such that there will be a core of questions that most reasonably proficient students will be able to answer, and a number of more difficult questions to discriminate students who are above average and those who are outstanding. The overall standard expected of pupils will be maintained at the present level. MOE will also review the GCE ‘O’ level examination format to give greater weighting to aural and oral skills.	New examination format for PSLE will be ready in 2002.	Guidelines will be issued to help teachers prepare their students for the new examination format, when they are in P5 in 2001.
(III) Helping Students With Extreme Difficulty in CL
Introduce an alternative CL ‘B’ syllabus at the secondary and JC level to meet the needs of students who are very weak in CL, and who despite additional support in school and beyond, cannot cope with standard CL.	CL ‘B’ will be introduced to Sec 3 and JC1 in 2001. The first CL ‘B’ examination papers will be available in 2002 for the ‘O’ and ‘A’ level examinations. MOE will also put in place a system of incentives and disincentives to make it worthwhile for students to continue studying CL, if they have the ability to cope. While a pass in CL ‘B’ syllabus at the ‘O’ and ‘A’ level examinations will qualify students to enter JC and university, the CL ‘B’ syllabus result cannot be used to compute the ‘O’ level aggregate for admission into JC, or earn any "A" level points used for university admission. Fuller details on the eligibility criteria for CL ‘B’, its syllabus, and the system of incentives and disincentives, will be announced later this year.	The CL ‘B’ syllabus will be similar in teaching content to CL, but with simpler texts and a smaller word list. The examination format will give greater weighting to aural and oral skills.