Singaporeans split on Mother Tongue Weighting

In the past ten years, the government had repeatedly update the Mother Tongue education. With the help of the Mother Tongue teachers, the results had grown rapidly. The number of students who take Higher Chinese had grown 25% over the years, which is a good sign. So why must Singapore low the weight-age of Mother Tongue subjects?

Singapore is a muti-curtual country. All races and four Languages are equal. By lower the weight-age of the Mother Tongue subjects, it is creating some kind unfairness. Also, it has a very important circumstances, the culture.

Language is not just a tool to communicate but a way to pass down cultures. A man who do not know his own mother tongue may lost his own culture easily. An English speaking Chinese family can be an example. Family members tent to live in a Western way and behave in a Western way. Theres nothing wrong with this but these people had failed to pass down their own cultures and traditions to the next generation, and sadly, this is happening in many Singapore families.

Mother Tongue may be a difficult subject to study for some students and it plays an important role through out their educations. At the same time, the government can not afford its people to lost their own culture. i totally disagree with the lower weight-age for Mother Tongue subjects for PSLE. Singapore can not afford its people to know lesser about their culture at such a young age since we already know very little. However, if theres really a need, I will only tacitly approve it for higher education levels such as the university, where students already built enough mother tongue foundations in their past educations.

By Yang Xin Yu 100622Y