Lee Kuan Yew Fund for Bilingualism Marks 15 Years with New Initiatives to Support Early Mother Tongue Language Learning

The Lee Kuan Yew Fund for Bilingualism (the Fund) commemorated its 15^th anniversary on 27 October 2026 at the SPH Auditorium, bringing together partners and members of the community to celebrate 15 years of the Fund’s work in promoting bilingualism in Singapore.

2.Minister for Education and Chairman of the Fund, Mr Desmond Lee, highlighted the importance of bilingualism as a cornerstone of Singapore’s identity and the Fund’s role in complementing the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) efforts to make Mother Tongue Language (MTL) learning more meaningful and accessible. He also unveiled two initiatives aimed at strengthening MTL learning from a young age.

Expanding Access to Mother Tongue Language Resources

3.To provide young children and their families with more opportunities to learn and use their Mother Tongue Languages, the Fund will introduce two new initiatives from 2027, in partnership with SPH Media Limited:

4.The distribution of preschool periodicals¹ Thumbs Up Little Junior, Cilik Cerdik, and Balar Murasu will be expanded to reach all Kindergarten 1 (K1) and Kindergarten 2 (K2) preschoolers across Singapore. These periodicals are currently distributed to children across MOE Kindergartens, Anchor Operator (AOP) Preschools, and Social Service Agencies (SSAs), reaching about 43,000 preschoolers on a shared basis. From 2027, approximately 72,000 preschoolers will each receive their own copy.

5.Two new digital learning applications for parents will be launched to complement Cilik Cerdik and Balar Murasu. Similar to the existing Thumbs Up Little Junior app, the new apps will support parents in bilingual learning at home through stories, songs, and games in MTL. The apps will also feature a dedicated Parent Centre that provides access to print publications, encouraging parent-child engagement beyond the screen. Parents will be able to set screen time limits through the apps, giving them direct control over their children’s usage duration.

Fifteen Years of Promoting Bilingualism

6.Over the past 15 years, the Fund has broadened its focus beyond supporting early childhood language development into building a strong ecosystem of partnerships, platforms, and programmes. Through community-led initiatives and collaborations with its partners, the Fund has enabled bilingual resources to reach more households, extending language learning beyond the classroom and into everyday life at home and in the community.

7.The Fund continues to support ground-up and innovative approaches that make language learning enjoyable and relevant for young children. Today, its resources reach preschool-aged children through a wide network of partners including MOE Kindergartens, AOPs, SSAs, the National Library Board, and self-help groups.

8.Recognising the need for continuous engagement, the Fund expanded its outreach since 2024 to include post-secondary youths. Working with Institutes of Higher Learning and other partners, the Fund has co-developed initiatives that build older students’ confidence in using their MTL and enrich their appreciation of bilingualism. The Fund has also tapped digital platforms and social media to deepen engagement with different audience groups.

The Journey Ahead

9.Looking ahead, the Fund remains committed to ensuring that bilingualism endures as a lived experience across generations by making language learning accessible, engaging and relevant to all Singaporeans. The Fund will continue to work closely with MOE, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), and community partners to strengthen and sustain this shared national commitment.

Footnotes

1. Thumbs Up Little Junior (《小小拇指》), Cilik Cerdik, and Balar Murasu (பாலர் முரசு) are three Mother Tongue Language periodicals for preschool children in Singapore, funded by the Fund and published by SPH Media’s Lianhe Zaobao, Berita Harian, and Tamil Murasu respectively. Launched in 2013, 2014, and 2017, the publications feature age-appropriate content rooted in local context, culture, and values, nurturing early reading habits and a love for the Chinese, Malay, and Tamil languages.

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About Lee Kuan Yew Fund for Bilingualism

The Lee Kuan Yew Fund for Bilingualism was announced on 28 November 2011 at the launch of Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s book, My Lifelong Challenge: Singapore’s Bilingual Journey. Established to supplement the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) efforts in the teaching and learning of English and the Mother Tongue Languages (MTLs), the Fund was formally incorporated in February 2012 as a Company Limited by Guarantee, with Charity and Institution of a Public Character status.

The Fund’s Commemorative Video will be available from 27 October 2026. Visit our website at www.bilingualism.sg. Also connect and follow us on our social media: