NON-NATIVE MOTHER TONGUE LANGUAGE AS A THIRD LANGUAGE

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1. As part of the Ministry of Education (MOE)’s continuing efforts to give greater flexibility and choice for students to pursue their passions and interests, the existing eligibility criteria for learning a non-native mother tongue language (MTL) as a third language will be lifted. From 2007, Sec One students will be allowed to offer another MTL in addition to their native MTL, as long as they have the interest and inclination.

2. Students taking non-native MTL as a third language will offer it at Centres. MOE will set up more Centres by 2007 to cater to increased demand, if needed.

3. Schools that are ready may implement the refinement with effect from 2005 using their own resources. They can conduct lessons for their own 2005 Secondary One students who are interested in joining the Programme.

4. The lifting of the existing eligibility criteria serves to encourage more students to offer a non-native MTL as a third language. The ability to speak a third language is useful, and will help young Singaporeans of all races operate effectively in the region and beyond. Proficiency in non-native MTLs would also help increase interaction among the ethnic communities and facilitate inter-racial understanding.

5. Non-native MTL as a third language is currently offered through the Malay (Special Programme) (MSP) and Chinese (Special Programme) (CSP), two programmes which are optional O-level subjects. The programmes are offered at Secondary One to students who meet the following criteria:

From 2007, both these criteria will be lifted to allow for students to offer a non-native MTL as a third language if they have the interest and inclination.

6. The existing CSP Centres are Clementi Town Secondary and Changkat Changi Secondary, while MSP is offered at the MOE Language Centre at Bishan. Besides the Centres, CSP is also offered at 6 designated schools[1] which conduct CSP lessons for their own students.

[1] The six schools are Bukit Panjang Government High, Cedar Girls’ Secondary, Crescent Girls’, Tanjong Katong Girls’, Tanjong Katong Secondary and Victoria School.