Tharman Shanmugaratnam
Singapore
“EDB conducts regular reviews to GIP to ensure its effectiveness in attracting only top-tier business leaders who are interested to drive the growth of their businesses and investments from Singapore.”
“MAS may vary the size of the additional capital requirement imposed on the bank and take other regulatory actions depending on the outcome of ongoing reviews. MAS requires all retail banks in Singapore to ensure that their mission critical systems supporting digital banking are resilient.”
“This question will be answered in the reply to Dr Tan Wu Meng's Parliamentary Question filed for tomorrow's Sitting. [Please refer to "Probe into Recent Disruptions of DBS' Digital Bank and Physical ATM Services and Preventive Measures Implemented", Official Report, 5 July 2023, Vol 95, Issue 107, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Ans…”
“Borrowing from the banks is one of the ways in which MAS carries out MMOs to soak up such excess liquidity. Like other central banks, MAS does this daily through an auction system, enabling MAS to withdraw liquidity through the Primary Dealers that submit the most competitive prices.”
“To mitigate consumer over-indebtedness, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) requires financial institutions (FIs) to implement a range of safeguards when extending mortgage loans and unsecured credit.”
“The Monetary Authority of Singapore imposes on external asset managers the same stringent regulatory standards for anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism that it imposes on banks.”
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“Intermediaries Repeal of exemption for financial advisers Sir, let me move on to other changes in rules relating to the conduct of intermediaries, besides the changes to the capital raising framework that I have just mentioned which concern them. The SFA currently exempts financial advisers licensed under the Financial Advisors Act from licensing under the SFA, in their conduct of SFA-regulated activities which are incidental to their financial advisory services. This reflects the principle of not requiring an entity to be licensed under two separate Acts. Clause 16 removes this generalised exemption. It was not our intention to allow financial advisers to conduct the full scope of SFA-regulated activities, such as the full scope of fund management activities. In its place, MAS will make explicit in Regulations the specific types of exemptions financial advisers require under the SFA to conduct their financial advisory business. Unsecured credit facilities to employees Clause 20 lifts the current prohibition against licensees under the Securities and Futures Act granting unsecured credit facilities to their directors, officers, employees or representatives for trading purposes. This prohibition has posed practical difficulties to licensees such as stockbrokers. For example, staff who trade through their principals, ie, through their own companies, need to settle their securities transactions upfront, rather than in accordance with market rules. They do so to avoid situations where credit is inadvertently extended to them if settlement is delayed. The risk arising from allowing unsecured credit facilities is however minimal, as unsecured loans to directors, officers and employees are already capped at one year's emoluments.”
“Investors will still be able to institute civil action in Court against intermediaries to compensate them for losses sustained as a result of material deficiencies in the prospectus where underwriters and issue managers are unable to show that they have conducted the necessary due diligence. This way, the change in criminal liability will not compromise the ability of investors to seek recourse. Pre-deal research reports Sir, clause 55 will lift the current prohibition on issuing pre-deal research reports for international offers. Pre-deal research reports refer to reports that profile an issuer before an offer is made. Such reports are typically prepared by the intermediaries involved in the offer, such as the underwriter or issue manager, to stimulate interest in the offer. Previously, pre-deal research was prohibited because such reports are not subject to the same regulatory safeguards as prospectuses. There was concern that retail investors may rely on such reports instead of the registered prospectus. MAS recognises that this prohibition may have placed Singapore investors, particularly our institutional investors, at a disadvantage compared to foreign investors when subscribing to international offers. If an offer is made concurrently in a foreign jurisdiction that allows such reports, MAS will allow pre-deal research reports to be distributed to institutional investors in Singapore. To reduce the risk of information in the pre-deal research reports reaching the retail public, we will put in place safeguards. Among them, the reports must not be circulated to persons who are not institutional investors, especially the media. Issuers must also observe a two-week "quiet period" before a prospectus is lodged.”
“Prospectus liability for issue managers Sir, in a disclosure-based regime, the onus for accurate and meaningful disclosures is placed on issuers and their professional advisers. This is achieved by imposing liability on those responsible for preparing the prospectus. Currently, the offeror and its directors, as well as the underwriter, face criminal and civil liability for any material deficiencies in the prospectus, such as false and misleading statements or omissions of material information. Clauses 57 and 58 extend this prospectus liability to issue managers. This recognises the important role that issue managers play in bringing a company to list on SGX and in the preparation of the prospectus. Change in criminal liability At the same time, clause 57 also refines the existing criminal liability for persons other than the offeror and its directors. Currently, third-party intermediaries (such as underwriters) must demonstrate that they have conducted the necessary due diligence as a defence against any criminal charges for material deficiencies in a prospectus. Clause 57 removes this burden of proof on the part of intermediaries. Instead, the onus will be on the prosecution to demonstrate that an intermediary has acted recklessly or intentionally. This is intended to address concerns by the industry that they may be subject to criminal liability as a result of an inadvertent oversight, or because of deficient disclosures made by the offeror (or its directors). However, the civil liability provisions in the SFA will continue to apply the due diligence test.”
“Offers made under the private placement and small offers exemptions, if they are closely related, must be aggregated. This will prevent issuers from breaking up a single large offer into smaller ones which would individually satisfy the exemptions, so as to circumvent the rules. MAS will prescribe regulations to set out the factors determining which offers are closely related. Debenture issuance programme Clause 54 extends the validity period for base prospectuses for a debenture issuance programme from six months to 24 months. This addresses industry feedback that a six month period is too short when debentures are being continuously issued. Clause 46 will also allow the base prospectus to be updated in the absence of a current offer without triggering refund provisions. Offer information statement Currently, listed issuers are allowed to provide an offer information statement (OIS) instead of a full prospectus if they are offering securities which are similar to those already listed. Clause 77 extends the use of an OIS to all offers of securities by a listed entity. Listed issuers are already subject to requirements under the SFA to disclose all material information on a continuous basis. Investors would therefore have publicly available information to evaluate fresh offerings by the issuer. Currently, an OIS is required for a renounceable rights issue only when the issuer is both listed and incorporated in Singapore. Under the new provision, an OIS will also be required for renounceable rights issues by foreign corporations which have a primary listing in Singapore. This recognises that the pool of Singapore shareholders for such issuers is likely to be significant.”
“For example, where the information found in a prospectus may already be publicly available, as is the case for listed companies. Sir, the CLRFC recommended two new "safe harbours" which would allow private placements and small offers to be made without a prospectus. These safe harbours provide legal certainty in the case of capital raising by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and helps them do so efficiently, without unnecessary regulatory costs. These safe harbours are essentially similar to those available in jurisdictions like the UK, Hong Kong and Australia. Private placement exemption (clause 72, new section 272B) Private placements are defined as offers made to 50 or fewer investors within any 12-month period. The CLRFC had recommended a limit of 20 investors. However, MAS received public feedback that this is too low, as not all persons offered the securities may accept the offer. We have decided to raise this figure to 50, which is also consistent with the practice in UK and Hong Kong. Given this limited reach, to no more than 50 investors, there will be no dollar cap on the amount that can be raised in each private placement. Small offer exemption (clause 72, new section 272A) Small offers raising up to $5 million within any 12-month period are also exempted from prospectus requirements. Apart from the $5 million limit, a small offer can be made only to investors with an existing relationship with the offeror, or who have previously expressed an interest in the offer. In addition, there will be resale restrictions on securities purchased by a connected investor so as to ensure that offers made under the small offers exemption are not open to the public at large.”
“On capital-raising, the amendments redefine the scope of provisions concerning investment offers, refine the liabilities of professionals involved in capital raising and simplify some prospectus rules. The Bill fine-tunes the regulation of intermediaries in light of industry experience to date under the SFA. On markets and clearing facilities, the Bill calibrates the level of regulation to better match the different levels of systemic risk posed by different facilities. Sir, I will now go through the main amendments in the Bill. I will start with changes to our rules for capital-raising. Capital raising rules Abolition of "public offer" (in relation to Offers of Investments) Sir, the SFA currently imposes rules on the conduct of "offers to the public", by requiring public offers be accompanied by prospectuses. These rules aim to ensure that investors are provided with all material information needed to make informed investment decisions. However, as noted by the CLRFC, the phrase "offer to the public" is not defined in legislation. This can cause practical difficulties for issuers when structuring private and other exempted offerings. As recommended by the CLRFC, the Bill removes the concept of "offer to the public" from the SFA. Instead, a prospectus will be required for all offers of investments unless they are specifically exempted. As a basic principle, such exemptions should only be given in limited circumstances where the cost of issuing a prospectus is not justified by the benefits of greater disclosure and investor protection. Our current regime already exempts offers that are not made available to retail investors, or where other safeguards exist to minimise the risk to the public interest.”
“Many respondents gave detailed comments. MAS has incorporated the feedback received into the Bill, where practicable and where they were in line with its regulatory objectives. MAS has posted detailed responses to the comments received during these consultations on its website. Sir, let me first set out the basic thinking behind the amendments. The Bill aims to strengthen the foundations underpinning our market and disclosure-based regulatory regime. It aims at sound standards without excessive costs. First, we seek to ensure high standards of transparency and fair dealing. These standards are pre-requisites for the continued growth and development of the markets. While they impose obligations on issuers of capital, market intermediaries and professionals, they ultimately benefit all participants in the capital markets. They enhance investor confidence, leading to more liquid and vibrant markets, which in turn lowers the cost of capital. A market-driven, disclosure-based approach also allows reputable market players to raise the bar over time, as they see competitive advantage in improving their standards of disclosure and fair dealing above the minimum standards prescribed. The second objective of the Bill is to make our rules themselves clear and market-friendly so as to support the development of our markets. The Bill provides greater regulatory certainty to the industry in some key areas such as offers of investments. The approval process and ongoing requirements for markets and clearing facilities have also been further streamlined for new entrants. The Bill introduces amendments to rules across a range of capital market activities - capital raising, the conduct of intermediaries, and the provision of clearing and settlement infrastructures.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, on behalf of the Senior Minister, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." The Securities and Futures Act (SFA) was enacted in October 2001. It sought to provide a legislative framework for a market and disclosure-based approach to regulating our capital markets. It also provided a single comprehensive rule book, reflecting trends towards industry consolidation and the blurring of boundaries between capital market products, for example, between unit trusts, investment-linked insurance policies and structured products. When the SFA was passed, we noted that the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) would review the Act in the following few years to keep pace with developments in the capital markets. MAS embarked on a two-phase set of amendments to the SFA in 2003. The Securities and Futures (Amendment) Act 2003, which marked the first phase of amendments, implemented 12 recommendations of the industry-led Company Legislation and Regulatory Framework Committee (CLRFC). The CLRFC had been tasked to review and modernise the company law and regulatory framework in Singapore. It had suggested rationalising some of the rules in the SFA for offers of investments to make our capital markets more globally competitive. The first round of amendments also incorporated some technical amendments, in light of industry developments and feedback received since the implementation of the SFA in 2001. The second phase of amendments, represented by the current Bill, implements the remaining recommendations of the CLRFC. We are also making other substantive policy changes to the SFA. MAS invited feedback from the industry and the public on the proposed policy refinements in September 2003, and on the draft Bill in April 2004.”
“Resolved, That this House endorses the Report of the Chinese Language Curriculum and Pedagogy Review Committee, contained in Paper Cmd 9 of 2004, and supports a revised Chinese Language (CL) curriculum to: (1) enthuse all CL students and develop in them an abiding interest in the language and culture; (2) provide greater customisation and flexibility at the primary level; (3) place greater emphasis on oral fluency and reading for the majority of the students, and for those with the ability and interest, to develop stronger competence and understanding of the Chinese language and culture. ADJOURNMENT Resolved, "That Parliament do now adjourn to a date to be fixed." - [Mr Mah Bow Tan]. Adjourned accordingly at Five Minutes to Seven o'clock pm to a date to be fixed. APPENDICES”
“The Committee had thought about this very carefully and consulted quite a number of people. It had proposed that, for a start, we should allow schools to vary the ratio of English Language time and Chinese Language time - just for those two language subjects and I am not talking about the rest of the curriculum - within the range of 60:40. In other words, if need be, Chinese Language can be up to 60% weight compared to the English Language, 40%, or the other way round. This is a meaningful first step, and we do not want to open the doors completely to further experimentation beyond this. In any event, most schools do not intend to go beyond that. How will schools go about it? You cannot have a situation where each parent wants a different ratio. It is not workable for the whole standard. It is not even workable for one class. So it has to be a process of consultation. Nothing will work if parents are not confident that the school is doing the right thing. The school, in turn, will have to make an assessment of the students' abilities within the first few months, know what the profile of the students like and craft the right strategy for a certain set of classes, or the whole standard. So it is a consultative process. Ultimately, parents will have a say. But it is not a situation where each parent will design his own strategy for his own child. Question put, and agreed to.”
“I think that is a useful question. Parents, ultimately, have to decide. Schools would have to consult closely with parents and work out programmes that they feel there is a demand for. If you take Primary 1, for example, and in fact, some primary schools are now thinking hard about this, they know the typical profile of their students. They do not know exactly what is going to be like the following year but they know the typical profile. They would have to consult with parents before the students come in, and tell them what they have in mind. There would not be one model. Among SAP schools, you will find that some schools, those that get enough of the consensus among parents, that say, "The whole of Primary 1, let's do this bit more in Chinese Language." There will be some other schools where there may be certain classes which go further to meet the needs of parents and students, and certain other classes which follow the regular format. So I think we have to let this evolve. It will be an iterative process. The schools cannot decide on something that parents do not want and the schools would have to keep giving parents advice over how the student himself is performing in school. Parents should hopefully take the school's advice. But, ultimately, nothing will work if parents themselves are not happy with the situation.”
“We have to make sure bilingualism succeeds, that it gives Singaporeans our unique sense of identity, that it preserves a multi-cultural society that all Singaporeans take pride in, and that it continues to earn us our place in the world. Members know the Whip has been lifted, and I hope they will vote with conviction and give their full support to the changes being proposed. A clear parliamentary vote of support will send a strong signal of the broad-based support and commitment necessary for the successful implementation of the recommendations.”
“We will collaborate with the pre-school sector to develop a curriculum framework for Chinese Language learning in the early childhood years that makes learning fun and allows children to gain confidence in listening and speaking the language, especially Mr Yeo Guat Kwang is talking about this afternoon. Processes to implement and engage with key stakeholders Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the face of bilingualism will change with each generation of Singaporeans as our society evolves, and as the dynamics of Asia and the world evolves. Just as bilingualism today presents challenges quite different from bilingualism three or four decades ago, and in ways no one could have anticipated, we cannot tell what challenges, or opportunities, bilingualism will present two decades from now, and what methods and strategies we will need to make it succeed. What we do know is that 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 got it right for all time. The two committees that MOE will appoint have large tasks ahead of them - one, to implement the changes in MOE and the schools, and the other, to engage and involve all our stakeholders in promoting Chinese Language learning. Conclusion The journey we are taking will require the support of everyone - teachers, students, parents, the media and community organisations. We have to pull together as we make this long-term shift succeed. We will adapt our strategies and develop the resources to make sure we succeed. We will do likewise to ensure that Malay Language and Tamil Language continue to thrive for generations to come.”
“NIE and MOE will work on modules that new Chinese Language teachers will take during their first year of teaching, so as to boost their content competence. Chinese Language teachers who are already in-service will be provided with at least three core courses [that cover language, culture or pedagogy] every five years. More experienced teachers would probably choose to focus on latest developments in pedagogy and assessment techniques. In addition, Chinese Language teachers who are interested in professional upgrading can also do so through the modules offered as part of the new scheme - we have called it the Professional Development Continuum modules - it is basically an idea of teachers being able to accumulate higher qualifications in pieces, in modules, rather than have to take time off and go for full degree course at some sacrifice. These modules will allow Chinese Language teachers to attain higher professional certification, such as a Masters Degree or an Advanced Postgraduate Diploma over several years, by taking accredited courses at NIE, as well as certain courses conducted by MOE itself. Pre-school Over the past three days, several Members, Dr Amy Khor, Mr Yeo Guat Kwang and Mr Ang Mong Seng, have pointed out the importance of aligning the pre-school and revised primary Chinese Language curriculum. MOS Chan Soo Sen held a dialogue session recently with the representatives from the pre-school sector. Their response to the changes was very positive. MOE will continue to engage with the pre-school Chinese Language teachers and pre-school supervisors to communicate the changes through briefing and training sessions.”
“And as we are piloting and implementing the new curriculum, we will hold regular discussions to seek teachers' feedback on the effectiveness of the new methods, and understand their concerns with the implementation. Dr Khor and Dr Neo also expressed concern over the workload of Chinese Language teachers. This is a valid issue, and the way we can address this is to make sure that we have the sufficient quantity of well-trained teachers at the same time that we reduce the curriculum load. As I set out at MOE's press conference two weeks ago to accept these changes proposed by the Committee, MOE will make it a priority to boost the number of good recruits of our Chinese Language teaching force. Apart from getting the right numbers, we have to recruit teachers with the right quality. That means Chinese Language teachers, very importantly, must have the content knowledge, in terms of language skills and knowledge of the culture, as well as the pedagogical skills, the love for teaching, to be able to deliver an engaging and customised curriculum tailored to the students. NIE and MOE are now reviewing the pre-service training curriculum for Chinese Language teachers. We will also continue to run workshops and conferences to introduce and train teachers in innovative teaching and assessment methods, and to spread best professional practices within our existing Chinese Language teaching force. A structured training roadmap will be put in place for Chinese Language teachers. The Committee had found that younger teachers, being products of our bilingual policy, are, in general, not as strong in their language competence as the older Chinese Language teachers.”
“But they have strongly validated the observations of the Committee on the problems we currently face in Chinese Language teaching, and supported the key proposals. To illustrate, well over 90% of the 1,000 teachers surveyed earlier in the year, supported the use of different methods to teach students from English-speaking backgrounds in primary schools. Without the support and buy-in of the teachers, some of these proposals would have been non-starters. In October, the Singapore Chinese Teachers' Union released a public statement in response to the Committee's preliminary recommendations. Subsequently, we received views from the Singapore Chinese Middle School Teachers' Association, and lots of feedback from Chinese Language HODs and teachers. Underpinning these views was a belief that these are timely changes. They support the flexibility of allowing pupils of different language backgrounds and abilities to achieve their full potential in the Chinese Language. They also support changing the examination format to give teachers more space to devise new teaching methods. MOE will continue with the task of communication. We have to communicate these changes well to our teachers, including not only the HODs but the classroom teachers. With 3,600 Chinese Language teachers, Members will understand that this has to be a process. It is not a one-off event. In response to Mr Yeo Guat Kwang and Mr Ang Mong Seng who spoke today, yes, we are producing a Chinese version of the report you see before you, and we will be providing a copy to every Chinese Language teacher in January next year.”
“Teachers from primary school all the way to junior college have incorporated songs and drama into their lessons, introduced editing competitions and the like, to make Chinese Language learning more relevant and engaging to their students. They are using everyday culture, not just traditional culture. They are addressing what Dr Wang Kai Yuen had called the competition between the two languages for the minds of our young. We have to start by knowing the minds of the young. Mr Ang Thiam Poh, who is a popular local comic artist and teaches at Tao Nan Primary School, has been introducing comics in his CL lessons. He draws the comics and his students contribute to the speech bubbles. Teachers This brings me to the final issue, which is our teachers. Members have expressed concern over whether teachers support these changes and, very importantly, whether we have the quantity and quality of teacher resources required to make the changes proposed. In the schools I visit, it is often a Chinese Language teacher who is at the forefront of innovations in the classroom. There is no lack of ideas among our Chinese Language teachers. What they need is the time to work out new strategies and the room to put these into practice. This is what our changes to the curriculum and assessment systems are aimed at providing - more room, more space to allow the teachers to innovate. During the course of this review, the Committee consulted teachers widely. Members would be wrong to believe that teachers are resistant to the changes. The majority of teachers have in fact been open and supportive of the changes. Teachers are rightly concerned about how we will implement the changes.”
“Test items that require recall of individual words or phrases, and hence a copious amount of character memorisation, will be removed. Details of the interim formats will be given to schools in March or April next year. As recommended by the Committee, students will also be allowed to use more IT to facilitate the character-writing process. MOE will pilot test the use of an electronic hand-held device that enables conversion from pinyin to characters, in school-based examinations in 2006 before implementing it in national examinations from 2007. Innovative teaching methods Taken together, these shifts will prepare the system - teachers, students, and parents - progressively for the full revised curriculum that will come into place from 2008. The reduction in syllabuses and changes in the examination formats will give teachers more space to experiment and come up with engaging methods and materials to enthuse their students. MOE will also provide the training and professional support to help teachers do this. As Dr Lily Neo and Mr Yeo Guat Kwang have advocated, MOE will provide platforms and opportunities for teachers to share their experiences and their teaching materials and ideas. The principal platform for this sharing is at a cluster level, through Chinese Language Centres of Excellence. There will also be ways of doing this nationally, such as through the innovative teaching award competitions that are currently organised by the Chinese press and MOE. There is a fair amount we can do even within the current curriculum. Already, there are many pockets of innovation in Chinese Language teaching in our own schools that we can learn from and which we should continue to encourage.”
“To respond to Dr Gan See Khem's question yesterday, we are not doing away with examinations, but changing the modes of assessment and formats of our examinations. MOE will however make selective, interim changes in the meantime. These changes will not involve any increased burden on students or teachers, as Mr Ong Kian Min was concerned about, but a reduced burden. Removing less frequently-occurring characters from Character List First, MOE will review the current character lists over the next few months to remove the less commonly used characters. These less-frequently occurring characters will not be assessed in the PSLE and "O" level examination from 2005. MOE will communicate with schools early next year on this. Reducing curriculum load As I mentioned in my opening speech, teachers also feel that the current Chinese Language syllabus is too packed. This is widely-based feedback. MOE has therefore decided to reduce the syllabus load of both CL and HCL curriculum. We will start by cutting from the required syllabuses, 10-15% of the passages in the new textbooks that are coming on stream from 2005. Again, we will be communicating with schools soon on this matter. Interim examination formats We will also make interim modifications to the examination formats for the PSLE and "O" levels. The interim formats will reduce the emphasis on character stroke memorisation. These interim formats will be introduced from 2006 at both the PSLE and "O" levels, before the revised curriculum is implemented in 2008. For this interim examination format, the weighting for the oral-aural components will be increased by 5%. The PSLE oral-aural component will comprise 35%, and at "O" levels, 30%.”
“The approach at the secondary level and beyond, therefore, is geared towards flexibility and choice, because forcing students to do well in mother tongue is no longer tenable at that level. We have to recognise different abilities and talents, reward those who have done well in the mother tongue, but not penalise those for whom the MTL is not their key strength. And as students grow older and take ownership of their learning, it is really the intrinsic motivation to learn a language that has to sustain their efforts to keep learning a subject. Our job is to help them cultivate that interest, not force them, or make them repeat a year, as Mr Chiam See Tong suggested. Next steps: Implementation As numerous Members have pointed out - Mr Seng Han Thong, Dr John Chen, Dr Lily Neo, Mr Gan Kim Yong and others - success in these changes will hinge on timely and thorough implementation, and clear communication and support from all stakeholders, in particular our teachers. Progressive change We must balance the desire to get on with the changes for the current generation of students with the need for adequate and thoughtful preparation. Mdm Cynthia Phua, Mr Gan Kim Yong, Mr Yeo Guat Kwang and some others had expressed the desire to see some of the changes take place more quickly. First, there can be no short-cuts or quick fixes for the fundamental changes that we have debated. These changes will take time to implement and take root. Preparation will require major curricular modification, textbook preparation, teacher training, and development of new assessment methods. System-wide, we will implement the new curriculum at Primary 1 and Primary 4 from 2008, and work upwards from there. Significant changes to the PSLE examination will follow in 2010.”
“Schools can now admit a percentage of their students based on other measures besides the PSLE. So students with a special talent in the Chinese Language, for instance, may well be considered by certain schools on the strengths of that talent, while students with a weak CL score but a special talent in other fields, academic or non-academic, will also be assessed by the schools they apply for. The schools now have a greater measure of discretion. The next part of the picture is what happens after entry into Secondary One. To advance from secondary level to junior college or polytechnic, mother tongue has not been a required component of the aggregate score for entry to the Junior Colleges, we call this the L1R5 score. Students who have done well in the Chinese Language can include it in their score for JC entry. Those taking Higher Mother Tongue may also substitute this for their English Language grade. About 10% of our students provide Higher Chinese scores instead of English Language for JC entry. About 50% provides Chinese Language as a relevant subject in their L1R5 score. So those who do well are able to use it in their score; those who have not done so well are not forced to use it in their score. The changes that we made in January this year to the university admissions criteria are aligned with this. So mother tongue is no longer a compulsory component to enter university, including the medical faculty, unless again the student is applying for a Chinese language-based course, and the department decides that it is a subject that they will look at specifically. Students who are strong in the language will be able to include it as part of their score.”
“It may be a few classes doing more subjects in the Chinese Language or all classes in that standard, Primary 1 or Primary 2, for instance. Parents will decide. They must be confident to make up for the lower level of exposure in the English Language in the early primary years. But we have to allow these variations in our school system, and not assume that there is only one formula, one ratio of the English Language to the Chinese Language in the primary school curriculum, that is good for all time or all students. Many believe that the Chinese Language, being a tonal, logographic language, is easier to pick up in the early years. So we should allow this option of obtaining greater immersion in Chinese Language at an early age, and be willing to make adjustments along the way as we learn from experience on the ground. Progression to higher levels Members have also asked whether and how mother tongue grades will count in the progression of students to higher levels of education. Dr Lily Neo asked whether the Chinese Language will continue to be computed into the PSLE aggregate score. Mr Zainudin Nordin asked how the changes would affect the choice of students' school options or admission processes, whether the schools they want to get into will be affected by these changes. Dr Neo also asked if Chinese Language scores were being taken into account in the entrance criteria for the NUS medical faculty. Mother tongue will continue to count in the PSLE, as it is now. The new core curriculum for the Chinese Language will provide a common foundation for all students. The Chinese Language PSLE examination will be based on this core. Secondary schools, however, have increased discretion in admitting their students.”
“Their teachers found the change in the girls remarkable. They had gained confidence in the language, and in themselves. It is with this broad perspective of the challenges we face in implementing bilingualism in a diverse Singaporean population, that the White Paper has proposed that we give schools some flexibility to apportion the time spent on the English Language and the mother tongue subjects. It is educationally sound to allow schools this flexibility. Students who come from English-speaking homes, with parents who are confident they can provide the necessary support in the English Language, may want to have a little more time in their mother tongue, particularly in the early years. On the other hand, those who speak mostly Chinese at home may want more time with the English Language. They should be able to decide. Schools will likewise design the informal curriculum of the school to meet the needs of this diverse student population. In many schools, there is scope for more informal activity using the mother tongue. As Mdm Halimah and Ms Irene Ng cautioned, schools can do more but have to ensure that we do not segregate pupils too often. The school has to remain the common space where all Singaporean children intermingle, make friends with others, and learn together, for a substantial period of their lives. In the SAP schools, where all students are engaged in learning Chinese, we can do more. We will allow for a "SAP-Plus" programme in the early primary years. SAP schools will be free to enhance the Chinese Language environment and teach more subjects, for example Music, Health and PE, in Chinese during the early primary years, if it meets the needs of their students and parents are keen.”
“Our university and polytechnic lecturers complain about the standards of English among their students, and about their diffidence in expressing themselves. And as Assoc. Prof. Low Seow Chay noted from the MOE survey, more Secondary 4 students find the English Language more difficult than Chinese Language, than the other way around. It is changing for the younger generation, more of whom come from English-speaking homes. At the Primary 2 level, more students now find the Chinese Language harder than either the English Language or Mathematics. And this is precisely the generational shift that has prompted the changes that are being proposed in Chinese Language learning. But we have to bear in mind that even today in our primary schools, English Language remains a challenge for a significant group of students. We have to take into account this complexity in our language environment. We put in place the Learning Support Programme a decade ago, where students weak in the English Language, particularly in reading, and who therefore struggle to cope with school, are pulled out of class for additional support at Primary 1 and Primary 2. The programme is working reasonably well. Many teachers have also taken their own initiative to design programmes and activities to give students opportunities to develop competence and confidence in the English Language, just as we want to for the Chinese Language. I saw a group of students at CHIJ Kellock (Primary) - this is a school where most of the kids come from average Singapore backgrounds - perform a full length adaptation of a Shakespearean play - A Midsummer Night's Dream. They had trained for several months. They performed with perfect diction, poise and obvious enjoyment. In fact, one of the stars was an EM3 girl.”
“A few MPs have expressed concern about standards of English Language among our pupils, and whether some of the proposed changes will weaken our English Language capabilities. Our fundamental premise as we go forward is that we need varied approaches to promoting and inculcating bilingualism in Singapore. We must look, first and foremost, at the needs of our students, assess what it is that would benefit them, and give them choices. Some will need a little more exposure to English Language, others to the Chinese Language. But for most students, it will not be possible to give them more of both. The trade-offs between English Language and Chinese Language are real, and not unique to us. Hong Kong switched its secondary schools in 1998 from the English medium to using Chinese, meaning Cantonese in their case, as the medium of instruction in the majority of secondary schools. In the short time since the change in policy, English Language standards have fallen sharply. Many in Hong Kong are concerned about this fall in standards of the English Language among their young, because Hong Kong wants to remain a financial centre and an Asian hub for headquarters of international firms. We have to keep our English Language capabilities because it is, together with our mother tongues, a source of real advantage to us as a global city in Asia. We have to keep nurturing enough Singaporeans in each generation, each cohort, with a flair for the language, and give the majority of students a good, working competence in the English Language. English Language is still a struggle for many Singaporeans, as Ms Irene Ng, Dr Ong Seh Hong, Mr Yeo Guat Kwang, Mr Sin Boon Ann and others have pointed out.”
“Dr Ong Seh Hong and Mr Low Thia Kiang mentioned the recent example of a particular student who was not allowed to continue with Higher Chinese in Primary 6 as he had done poorly in his Primary 5 examinations for the English Language. It is an isolated case. The school had misinterpreted the MOE guidelines on this matter, and has since allowed the student to continue taking Higher Chinese. On top of the base of Higher Chinese, with 18% of students now taking Higher Chinese in Secondary 1, we are allowing secondary schools to introduce new subjects taught in the Chinese Language. We are extending the Language Elective Programme to a fourth JC from 2006, and we are rolling out the Bicultural Studies Programme next year. We are not standing still, but looking at new peaks, spread across the system, new ways of spurring on those with the ability and interest. Even RJC, not a SAP school, is introducing its own bicultural programme, and we encourage them. Mr Gan Kim Yong had asked that we provide opportunity for students in polytechnics who are talented in the Chinese Language to pursue their studies further. Ngee Ann Polytechnic will be starting a Diploma in Chinese Studies from next year. NIE is working with Ngee Ann Polytechnic to design a curriculum track within the proposed Diploma that is suitable for prospective Chinese Language teachers. Upon graduation, these students may proceed to NTU for teacher training and further qualifications. More broadly, our universities now have the flexibility to identify and admit students with special abilities for any of their courses, including Chinese Studies. So the doors are opening. Balance of English Language and Chinese Language Next, the balance between English Language and Mother Tongue Learning.”
“Low Seow Chay and others who raised this issue that we will engage in sound experiments, suited to the abilities and backgrounds of our children, and not roll out new methods before they are tested and before we have studied their implications. But we must be willing to experiment. Even in China, where putonghua is already widespread, there are many approaches in practice in schools in how they teach the language, and constant experimentation with new methods of teaching. If we are to make any progress, we have to be willing to engage in careful educational experiments, learn from experience and make adjustments as we go along. Opportunities for good CL students Let me now move on to what we are doing for Chinese Language students with the ability and interest to go further. Members were rightly concerned about this. We will continue to encourage students with the ability and interest to take the Higher Chinese (HCL) curriculum. With the modular approach in primary schools, Higher Chinese students will have more opportunity, not less, as some Members feared. They can start taking Enrichment modules earlier. They will also have the opportunity to take Enrichment modules within the Higher Chinese course itself at Primary 5 and Primary 6, that will build their vocabulary and language skills, and develop in them a deeper appreciation for the language and culture. At the 'O' levels, the proportion taking Higher Chinese has increased over the years, from 8% in 1997 to 15% this year, almost doubling. After we relaxed the criteria this year to provide more room for students who are strong in the language to take Higher Chinese, the number taking Higher Chinese in Secondary 1 has gone up to 18% of the Secondary 1 cohort.”
“This is particularly important for the new generation of students who are entering our schools, with less exposure at home to the Chinese Language and who are increasingly speaking English amongst their friends. However, MOE does not intend to do away altogether with teaching students how to write characters, even in the early primary years. We agree with Mr Gan Kim Yong, Dr Amy Khor and others on this point. MOE will study this carefully. For example, in the early primary years, root words and simple characters will be chosen, and students will learn to write the basic strokes and radicals of Chinese characters. These exercises could be aimed at developing their understanding of the patterns and rules in character writing. They will also be aimed at helping students to appreciate Chinese characters more, and reinforce the teaching of reading skills. MOE will study carefully how best to design the new Chinese Language curriculum, with a new balance between the four language skills at various stages of learning. It will be reflected in changes in the curriculum from year 2008 onwards, starting with Primary 1 and Primary 4 students - more fundamental changes for the Primary 1 students. As part of the study, we will pilot new approaches to teaching on the ground. One of the approaches to be piloted is the 'Recognise first, Write later' method. Yesterday, Minister of State Chan Soo Sen spoke on the differences between our local context and that in China, and explained that we will customise the approach that we see in China to match local realities. I want to assure Dr Amy Khor, Assoc. Prof.”
“First, there will be a core curriculum that everyone takes, from Primary 1 to 6. The PSLE will be based on this core curriculum. What we will provide to students is the flexibility to take modules, from Primary 1, that help them either to catch up or to reinforce what they have learnt in the core curriculum, or that allow them to take Enrichment modules that go beyond the core. The modular approach, built around a core curriculum, will allow students to receive teaching that is tailored to their ability and language background without setting students who lack home exposure to the language on a weaker path, or lowering their expectations from the outset of what they can achieve. As Dr Warren Lee mentioned earlier today, everyone should be encouraged to put in the effort. We will not lower expectations from the outset. Greater emphasis on listening, speaking and reading Next, the shift in emphasis among the language skills. There is broad agreement that by focusing, for the majority of students, on listening, speaking and reading, and by placing less emphasis on script writing, we will make learning the Chinese Language more engaging and interesting to students. This shift in emphasis is not aimed only at the early primary years, but will extend upwards. It will be reflected in the secondary school curriculum that the majority of students will eventually take. The reduced emphasis on writing, and especially on having to put extensive time into memorising the writing of a large number of characters, will free up space in the curriculum to develop greater confidence and fluency in communication, and in reading materials that students find engaging.”
“Mr Seng Han Thong and Mr Yeo Guat Kwang rightly cautioned that enjoyment and interest should not be mistaken as making the Chinese Language easy. Mr Chiam See Tong thought that this was all sugar-coating. I do not have a sweet tooth. Our objective is not to make language learning unchallenging. All learning requires dedication, practice and a keenness to clear hurdles that require real effort. The question is how we motivate students to do this. How do we motivate them to put in this effort continuously? The crux of the changes to the Chinese Language curriculum is to engage students in learning the language in a way they find relevant to their lives, in a way that encourages them to use it, in a way that allows them to enjoy it, so that they will have the motivation to put in the effort, to keep learning and using the language, and to take pride in their ability to do so. As Dr Wang Kai Yuen, Mr Yeo Guat Kwang and Dr Chong Weng Chiew pointed out, we are long past the days when we can motivate students to learn by saying, "I say so", or by wielding the stick or by pulling their ears over the weekends. Students who enjoy learning will be motivated to go as far as they can, in their school years and after. Our task therefore is to make Chinese Language learning engaging, relevant and interesting, while retaining the challenge that every subject must pose. Customisation and flexibility Most Members, including Mr Gan Kim Yong, Mr Ong Ah Heng and Mr Arthur Fong, have spoken in support of the modular approach. Some, like Mr Fong and Dr Lily Neo, have asked if this will amount to a brand of streaming. The modular approach that is being proposed for primary schools will not be a form of language streaming.”
“For the majority, this will mean a greater focus on listening, speaking and reading, with a reduced emphasis on writing. As several Members have noted, we should not do away with writing. That was not the White Paper's intent. We will make judicious use of writing skills in the learning of the Chinese Language. It will help to reinforce the learning of the other skills, and to help students appreciate the beauty of the language. Members have also lent support to a continued focus on the four language skills - listening, speaking, reading and writing - for those with the ability and interest, as well as to provide them opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Chinese history and culture. Abiding interest The central principle of the White Paper is to teach and learn the Chinese Language so that it is an enjoyable, living language for all our students. This way, we develop the intrinsic motivation to learn and use the language. Without the intrinsic motivation, many students will continue to work hard, master their ting xie and mo xie, prepare very well for the examinations, because both parents and students are pragmatic, and they will find ways to do well in the school system. Many students will continue to memorise essays wholesale, word for word, and lose all memory of it soon after. Dr Warren Lee was being honest, as many young Singaporeans are when you ask them about their Chinese Language learning experiences. Our real objective has to extend beyond mastery of examinations. We must give our students the functional skills they will most need after they leave school, and the confidence and the motivation to carry on learning the culture and using the language. As Mdm Ho Geok Choo emphasised, language learning has to be for the long haul.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to thank Members for their views, the many constructive suggestions, and their broad support for the objectives of the Chinese Language reforms in their comments over the last three days. Prime Minister and Minister Mentor have provided the broad perspective of the realities we face in language learning, that explain why we have to make these fundamental changes in our approach to teaching Chinese Language. My colleagues, Mr Chan Soo Sen and Mr Hawazi bin Daipi, have responded to several of the queries and suggestions from Members. I had, in my opening remarks, set out MOE's reasons for supporting the changes proposed by the Chinese Language Review Committee and would now like to round up the debate by responding to further points made by Members and to explain how we will go forward. Three broad areas of consensus have emerged in the course of the debate. First, there is strong support for the first limb of the motion we have debated, which is to develop in our students an abiding interest in the Chinese Language, as being the key objective of the revised Chinese Language curriculum. Second, Members have also endorsed greater customisation and flexibility in the Chinese Language curriculum, starting from the outset in Primary 1. Members have agreed that this should aim at both ends - to help students at one end who need support to gain confidence in the language and catch up, as well as to allow those who can go faster and further greater opportunity to do so. Third, Members have agreed that to keep the Chinese Language a living language, we need to place more emphasis on developing in students the language skills that they can use.”
“Our bilingual policy gives consideration to non-Chinese students who apply to take up Chinese as their second language. Approval is given on a case-by-case basis, for example, where students are of mixed parentage, or where the students have studied Chinese before. On average the number of Malay and Indian students that took up Chinese as their second language in the last six years was less than 1% and 5% of their respective ethnic groups each year. In absolute numbers, we have a total of about 660 Malay and 2,000 Indian students studying Chinese as their second language in primary and secondary schools, Junior Colleges and the Centralised Institutes. APPENDICES”
“And when Olinda dedicated Teresa Teng's Endless Stream Of Words or Qian Yan Wan Yu to her grandmother, everyone felt the emotion. I would now like to invite Members to share their views on the proposed changes to the Chinese Language Curriculum. Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed.”
“Mr Wee Heng Tin will chair a steering committee to oversee the Ministry of Education's implementation of the White Paper's recommendations, which include the curriculum development, research and testing of new teaching and assessment techniques, and ways to develop the teaching force. MOS Chan Soo Sen will serve as Adviser of that committee. MOS Chan will also head another committee, a community taskforce that will set out to garner the support of the Chinese community for these changes, and to facilitate a continuing process of collaboration between our schools, parents, community organisations and the media. When parents got together to organise a Mid-Autumn Festival at Chua Chu Kang Primary School, 1,500 people turned up. We will need the support of our community organisations, industry partners and the media as we seek to develop new learning materials, songs and resources, as well as providing opportunities and platforms outside the school for our young to enjoy using the language. Whether in school or in the community, we want the Chinese Language to come alive. Whether high-brow or low-brow, we have to find every way to make the Chinese Language fun for our children, as with the other mother tongues. For example, all of us who have children learning the Chinese Language know the emerging power of Asian pop culture. When Jurong Junior College got its JC1 students involved in Chinese pop culture recently, the students were enthralled. When zbNOW, the Lifestyle section of Zaobao, recently launched a song as part of its Popcorn programme, it was tremendously popular in schools. And that is also why the third-last round of Singapore Idol, which required Taufik, Sylvester, Olinda and Daphne to sing Asian pop songs, had a special endearing quality.”
“Keeping our Mother Tongue Languages and cultures will give each new generation of Singaporeans a sense of connectedness and resilience. This is why our bilingual policy remains a key feature of our education system, and why we now have to regear and adapt our strategies to make sure it succeeds. Implementing the changes well I have described the key thrusts of the proposed changes to the Chinese Language curriculum. Success in these changes will lie in thorough and well-coordinated implementation in all areas, from curriculum design to teacher training and the development of instructional materials. This will be a major priority for the Ministry of Education in the next five years. We will dedicate the necessary resources to achieve the objectives set out in the White Paper. The most critical factor to the success of the reforms will be our Chinese Language teachers. They are also our best asset. The majority are keen on change, and many are already putting into practice new strategies to help their pupils develop a love for the language. And there are numerous examples on the ground, of teachers who inspire their students to love the language, including classes or students who would normally be considered weak in the language. So we will focus above all on helping our teachers, on preparing them to implement the changes that are to come with vigour and imagination. We will provide teachers more space, through our syllabus and examination reforms, to bring in new teaching techniques. MOE will work to recruit more teachers, from both local and foreign sources, without diminishing the quality of recruits. We will also invest more in training both new and current Chinese Language teachers, to ensure that they are confident in delivering a new, more flexible curriculum.”
“This year, 58% of our Indian Primary 1 students came from homes that spoke predominantly English. The initial feedback from Tamil parents suggests that the issues facing Tamil Language students are fundamentally not different from those encountered in learning the Chinese Language. For Malay Language students, the issues are less severe. The Malay Language shares the same script as the English Language. The majority of Malay students entering Primary 1 still use Malay Language as their dominant home language, with just 22% using the English Language. However, among Primary 1 Malay Language students with at least one parent having a university qualification, the proportion using predominantly English at home is much higher, close to 60%. MOE will set up two high level committees to review the Malay Language and Tamil Language curriculum respectively. The composition of these committees will be announced in early December. Work should start in January next year, and we expect to complete the two reviews around August 2005. Bilingual policy Sir, the changes we will make to the Chinese Language curriculum are part of how we make sure bilingualism thrives in Singapore. We cannot let new generations of Singaporeans gradually lose their competence in their mother tongues, or lose their instinctive sense of identity with the cultures that the Mother Tongue Languages represent. Our English-speaking capability, combined with our competence and feel for the Mother Tongue Languages, is our source of competitive edge, allowing us to stay relevant to both Asia and the West. And beyond this, our Mother Tongue Languages will always be essential to give us our identity. Our cultures, languages, and values give us roots, a quiet confidence in who we are.”
“Building on Higher Chinese, we are encouraging our secondary schools to enhance the Chinese Language learning environment by offering new Chinese Language-based subjects, such as Chinese Culture and Thought and Literature in Chinese as a Combined Humanities elective; Literature in Chinese is already a full subject, and we are going to allow it to be used as an elective for the Combined Humanities subject. We are extending the Language Elective Programme to a fourth Junior College from 2006, and rolling out the Bicultural Studies Programme next year. At the other end of the spectrum, we must continue to address the needs of those who struggle with Chinese Language in secondary schools despite putting in reasonable effort. The Chinese Language 'B' syllabus was put in place in 2001 from Secondary 3 for this purpose. In January this year, apart from relaxing the criteria for students to take Higher Chinese, we also opened the Chinese Language 'B' option from Secondary 1. Pre-school MOE will also work with the pre-school sector to support the objectives of the Chinese Language review. We will collaborate with them in developing a curriculum framework for Chinese Language learning in the early childhood years that makes learning fun and allows children to gain confidence. This will be particularly helpful for children who get limited home exposure to the Chinese Language. By creating natural situations for preschoolers to build up their listening and speaking skills, the sector can prepare them well for the revised curriculum and teaching approaches at the primary school level in future. ML and TL review We will also review the learning of Malay Language (ML) and Tamil Language (TL) in our schools.”
“Teachers therefore feel that there is some trade-off between volume and the quality of learning outcomes. MOE will focus on these learning outcomes as we review the curriculum. We will set realistic targets that the majority of students can achieve, provide room for innovative teaching practices and school-designed curricula, and for teachers to venture out of the regular syllabus. And we will always ask ourselves what we hope our students can do with the vocabulary and language skills that they have learned. Encouraging excellence The Committee also recommends encouraging students with the ability and interest to develop competence in all four language skills, and obtain a good understanding of Chinese history and culture, through the Higher Chinese curriculum. This is an important part of the flexible curriculum strategy that MOE has taken. Higher Chinese forms the base in our efforts to provide opportunities for students with the ability to engage in deeper study of the language and culture. In January this year, as Members know, we relaxed the criteria required for students to opt for Higher Chinese in primary and secondary schools. Since the change, we have had about 25% more Secondary 1 students choosing to take Higher Chinese. MOE will post more teachers to schools where there is a critical mass of students who offer Higher Chinese, to make the study of the subject more convenient. This will be one of our priorities over the next few years, as we build up our teaching force.”
“How we assess our students will be adjusted to match this objective. Further, as recommended by the Committee, MOE will also review the role of the character list that underpins the production of instructional materials, teaching practice and assessment. While the character list is useful in allowing teachers to know that they have adequately covered the requirements of the syllabus, it has tended to steer teaching and learning towards drilling in a prescribed list of characters. MOE will study how best we can provide teachers with some guide, while encouraging them to incorporate engaging materials and use their own methods to liven up learning. To sum up this point, our objective will be to provide students with the room to use and practise what they have learned, so as to develop confidence and competence in the language. MOE will work out how to avoid overloading the syllabus so that we provide enough space and time in the curriculum for teachers and students to achieve this. Our Chinese Language Heads of Department point out that the current syllabus provides little room for this. Too much volume, leading to teachers rushing to complete the syllabus, as each chapter contains new or additional words and phrases that have to be mastered. They tell us students do not have time to use and practise what they learn. The Heads of Department and teachers have their own war stories. One that many recall was of a recent PSLE examination that tested the Primary 6 students on some characters that they had learnt in Primary 4. The students were stumped. They had forgotten what they had learned just two years earlier, because both teachers and students were focused on covering the Primary 5 and 6 syllabus, which was itself a demanding load.”
“The size of a child's vocabulary is one way of measuring a child's language ability. But of much greater significance is how confidently and appropriately the child can actually use and manipulate the vocabulary that he has learned. So by the end of Secondary 4, for example, the Committee recommends that students be able to read and appreciate poems and short stories, and read most articles in local newspapers and magazines. They should be able to understand local news reports, and deliver, with some preparation, coherent views on local news reports, and other topics of interest in front of an audience; and compose a 250-300 word narrative or expository essay with the help of a dictionary and/or assistive computer tools. MOE agrees broadly with this approach. We will work out the number of characters and words that students need to learn in order to achieve these learning outcomes - such as is required to comprehend daily news articles. For example, according to Singapore Press Holdings' Chinese Language Consultant Wang Huidi, knowing about 1,800 characters would provide 98% reading coverage of Zaobao. About 1,300 most-frequently used characters will give 95% of reading coverage. But, as recommended by the Committee, we will move away from hard and fast rules on the number of characters and phrases that students should read or write. We will focus instead on achieving useful learning outcomes. We will keep an open mind, and adjust the syllabus requirements as we learn from experience on the ground. Our objective will be to ensure that students retain what they learn, and are able to use the vocabulary they learn in new contexts - not just be able to recall from a prescribed list of characters and phrases for the purpose of their examinations.”
“It is hoped that this will encourage them to converse using the Chinese Language, read stories that appeal to their imagination, and by seeing the benefits of using the language more frequently in these ways, that they will want to learn the language further. In other words, to develop the intrinsic motivation to learn the language. To achieve greater fluency in listening, speaking and reading, we have to make space in the curriculum. To do this, the Committee recommends altering the curriculum and examinations to reduce the current heavy emphasis on character stroke memorisation; removing less frequently used characters from the syllabus; and reducing the number of passages that have to be taught from the textbooks. It does not recommend abandoning writing skills, but using it to reinforce the other language skills. Teachers should be encouraged to let students discover the art and beauty in the writing of the Chinese Language script - as many teachers already do. We will experiment with new approaches to teaching. MOE will conduct a pilot study with some schools of new approaches that help students to read more in the early primary years, and to focus less on script-writing. We will study the feasibility of this approach, and whether it leads to children developing a greater competence and interest in the language. This has to be piloted. Focus on learning outcomes MOE will also study carefully the standards that students should be expected to achieve in primary and secondary schools for each of the four language skills. The Committee recommends focusing, first, on qualitative outcomes of Chinese Language learning at each stage, say at Primary 6 and Secondary 4, rather than fixing or predetermining the number of characters that a pupil should learn to read or write.”
“But it should not be tedious effort, with little sense of excitement or gain. We should do all we can to keep students turned on to Chinese Language learning, not turn them off. We will have to design a realistic workload for the majority of students, give them a syllabus that allows them to relate what they learn to their daily lives, and give teachers the flexibility to venture out of the syllabus to make learning stimulating. Emphasising listening, speaking and reading This is also the reason for the Committee's second major proposal, which is to shift the balance of emphasis towards communication and reading, for the majority of students. Ideally, we would want all our Chinese Language students to be fluent in all four language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. However, in adult life, the vast majority of Singaporeans will more often hear, speak and read Chinese, than they would need to write Chinese. We have to be practical about what is achievable for the majority of students, within a broad-based curriculum that has English as the first language. The majority will spend about 25% of their total curriculum time in their early primary years learning the mother tongue, and 15% of curriculum time in their late primary and secondary years. How do we best motivate them to want to use the language spontaneously, and learn it not just for their examinations but because they have an intrinsic interest in the language and feel that it is part of a living culture for them? The Committee recommends that the best approach for the majority of students is to focus, first and foremost, on listening, speaking and reading the language.”
“MOE will make available simple diagnostic tools to help teachers do so. Core Standards The Committee proposes however to maintain a common core curriculum for all students, upon which the PSLE assessment for the regular Chinese Language subject will be based. The new core curriculum will take up 70% to 80% of Chinese Language curriculum time. The modular approach being proposed does not therefore mean different end points within the regular Chinese Language curriculum at the primary level. Instead, it seeks to help students who do not have the background in the language by providing bridging and reinforcement modules in the early primary years, so that they can catch up and be better prepared for the new core curriculum. Those with the ability to go faster or further will take enrichment modules, while a significant number are also expected to take Higher Chinese at Primary 5 to 6. I agree with the Committee's approach of maintaining a common standard during the primary years, that will serve as a foundation for all Chinese Language students. It will motivate all students to achieve this foundation in the language, including those from English-speaking backgrounds. It will be premature to 'stream' these students into a weaker Chinese Language course at the primary school stage, or to lower their expectations too early of what they can achieve with reasonable effort. What we must do, however, is to ensure that the core curriculum is shaped so that the majority of students will find it achievable and engaging. Our challenge therefore is to make the learning of Chinese Language enjoyable, without making it unchallenging. As with the English Language or any other subject of study, students must put in the effort and practice, to achieve real learning and progress.”
“But let me lay out the basic ideas behind the major proposals - first, the customisation of learning and a modular approach in primary schools; and second, why we should place greater emphasis, for the majority of students, on building up the ability to communicate and read in the Chinese Language. Customisation from Primary One Today, there is an adequate degree of customisation at the secondary school level. There are five Chinese Language syllabuses at the secondary level. A student in the Express stream, for instance, can choose from three syllabuses - Chinese Language, Higher Chinese, or Chinese Language 'B' syllabus. At the upper primary levels, we have Chinese Language and the Higher Chinese syllabuses, and for the EM3 course, the Basic Chinese syllabus. But to maximise a child's potential in learning Chinese Language, we need a differentiated approach from the outset, that takes into account the exposure that the child has to the language at home. The vast majority of Chinese Language teachers, well over 94%, feel this is necessary. We surveyed them. They are on the ground, they know what it takes to motivate and enthuse their pupils. The vast majority say that we need a differentiated approach from the outset. The modular approach proposed by the Committee also follows what is generally known about the natural progression in acquiring a language, which begins with developing the ability to listen and speak a language. The bridging and reinforcement modules that will be introduced, aimed at children with little exposure to the Chinese Language, will focus on developing confidence in oral skills early. Teachers will be trained to identify students who can benefit from these modules, and will advise parents.”
“As the Committee has observed in its report, while learning the various Chinese Language skills is important, our fundamental objective must be to nurture in our students an abiding interest in the language. Not every student will end up working in China or using the Chinese Language to earn a living. And we cannot tell, when a child is in school, what he will do later in life and where he will end up. But if we can make every student feel engaged in the learning of the Chinese Language, to find it enjoyable and not be turned off by the way we expect him to learn it, we stand the best chance of nurturing a person who will continue to learn the language, take pride in it being his mother tongue, and want to use it after he leaves school. Or be able to brush up his skills when he needs to, for example, if he has to do China business. Key Changes To achieve flexibility and bring greater enjoyment into learning the Chinese Language, the Committee has made wide-ranging recommendations. It requires a total approach, not piecemeal changes. The Committee's report proposes changes in curriculum structures, assessment systems, teaching methods, textbooks and other instructional materials, and the greater use of technology. It recommends the creative use of the informal curriculum in schools, and ways for MOE to boost the quantity and quality of the Chinese Language teacher workforce. It also calls for the support of the whole community, including parents, the newspaper and TV media, and Chinese community organisations. I will not cover each of these areas in detail.”
“The majority of those entering Primary 1 today use English as their main language, both at home and amongst their friends and classmates. Teachers tell us that the shift in these new cohorts is striking, even compared to today's Primary 6 cohort; in other words, the shift from today's Primary 6 cohort to today's Primary 1 cohort is a significant one. We have to regear our approaches to teaching Chinese Language to meet the needs of this new generation of Singaporeans, and future generations after them. The bilingual approach to teaching Chinese Language that we have introduced in the early primary years (Primary 1 and 2), starting with four schools in 2002 and another seven this year, was the first step. But it did not involve any change in curriculum, only selective change in teaching methods. We have to go beyond this. We must have a curriculum that is itself flexible, and tailored to the student's level of competence at the very outset. This is what the modular approach advocated by the Committee seeks to do. Some students will need more time, and a curriculum that helps them build confidence in a language that they have had little exposure to at home. Others can move faster and go further, and some will be encouraged in later years to immerse themselves more deeply in the language and culture. That is the flexibility. The second principle underpinning the changes is the need to make Chinese Language an enjoyable, living language for our students. That has to be the common denominator for all our students, regardless of the path or elective that they choose to take, and regardless of their final level of achievement in learning the language in school.”
“MOE also conducted a comprehensive survey of Chinese Language teaching and learning, involving about 10,000 students, parents, teachers and principals. In all, the recommendations took nine months to be shaped. My Ministry could not have asked for a more thorough and informed review by a more credible team. Flexibility and Enjoyment There is no lack of interest in the Chinese Language in Singapore. MOE's survey of students and parents found that the vast majority recognise the importance of learning the Chinese Language. Among English-speaking homes, 92% of parents feel it is important for their child to learn the Chinese Language. The interest in learning Chinese Language is founded on a desire to retain a sense of identity, as well as the increasing spur of economic opportunities in China. But whether the reasons are cultural or pragmatic, they provide a strong foundation going forward for the learning of Chinese Language in our schools. We are not therefore crafting changes to the Chinese Language curriculum to cater to the needs of a minority with a disinterest in the language. We are seeking to help the majority of Chinese students who, regardless of home backgrounds, want to learn their mother tongue as best they can, as part of the education they receive in school. We want them to be enthused by the language, find it relevant in their lives as they grow up, learn it to the highest level they are capable of in school, and want to keep up with the language well after they leave. If I were to sum up the Committee's recommendations, it would be in two words - flexibility and enjoyment. First, we have to recognise the fundamental shifts that have taken place in our social landscape.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That this House endorses the Report of the Chinese Language Curriculum and Pedagogy Review Committee, contained in Paper Cmd 9 of 2004, and supports a revised Chinese Language (CL) curriculum to: (1) enthuse all CL students and develop in them an abiding interest in the language and culture; (2) provide greater customisation and flexibility at the primary level; (3) place greater emphasis on oral fluency and reading for the majority of the students, and for those with the ability and interest, to develop stronger competence and understanding of the Chinese language and culture." The Review Process Members have copies of the White Paper. I will highlight the key considerations that went into this review, and the thinking behind the fundamental changes that are being recommended to the way the Chinese Language is taught and learnt. Let me first say something about the process by which the recommended changes were arrived at. The Committee was headed by Mr Wee Heng Tin, our former Director-General of Education. Its members were mainly comprised of professional educators - school principals, academics, and heads of mother tongue language departments. They came with extensive experience in our bilingual education system. The educationists on the Committee have each had an average of 25 years in the field. Eight of the 12 members have also been Chinese Language educators either now or at some point in their careers. The Committee consulted widely, with all our stakeholders in Chinese Language learning, including teachers and students, parents, Chinese community organisations and the media. They held 19 dialogue sessions and visited 13 schools to observe the learning of Chinese Language as it is today.”
“To informresidents on their responsibility, HDB has implemented a number of initiatives since the beginning of this year. These include: (1) Distributing to every household a "HDB Residents' Handbook" to help residents carry out simple checking and maintenance of their windows; (2) Sending out an advisory letter to all households on where to findapproved contractors to check and repair their windows if necessary; (3) Placing advertisements in the major newspapers to reiterate the same message; (4) Putting up posters on the notice boards of Town Councils and Residents' Committees to remind residents to check their windows; and (5) Working closely with grassroots organisations to publicise the window legislation to residents throughex- hibitions, community events and at block parties. VariousTown Councils have alsonegotiated special rates with approved contractors to lower the cost of retrofitting windows for the benefit of our residents.HDB will continue to educate residents on window safety and maintenance. However, I must stress that every resident must also play his or her part in ensuring that our high-rise living environment is safe and pleasant.”