education articles from asia one 2009 - education, langauge and upgrade

8/4/2019 Education Articles From Asia One 2009 - Education, Langauge and Upgrade

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EDUCATION ARTICLES FROM ASIAONE 2009

Topics:

Singapores Education System vs Other Countries Pg 1

Education Upgrading for Adults Pg 18

English Language in Singapore Pg 20

Being Different Career Choices Pg 29

Languages and Dialects Their Demise Pg 33

Singapores Education System vs Other Countries

>> ASIAONE/ NEWS/ EDUCATION/ STORY

Sun, Jul 19, 2009The Straits Times

$5.5m boost for technology in schools

By Leow Si Wan

TABLET personal computers are now ubiquitous in many schools here, thanks to

BackPack.NET, an initiative to push the use of technology in education.

Launched in 2003, the five-year programme has been successful in developing and

introducing various technologies to schools.

Yesterday, the people behind it - the Ministry of Education (MOE), the InfocommDevelopment Authority (IDA) of Singapore and Microsoft Singapore - announced

plans to invest another $5.5 million to bring it to the next level, which will developteachers and equip them with teaching strategies to accompany technological

developments.

Unveiling the next four-year phase, BackPackLive!, at the National Institute of

Education (NIE), Microsoft Singapore managing director Jessica Tan, who is also aMember of Parliament for East Coast GRC, said: 'Riding on the success of

BackPack.NET, this renewed collaboration with MOE and IDA will help nurture theinnovative effort of teachers and give students the foundation to learn, collaborate

and be equipped for the knowledge economy.'

BackPack.NET, a $20 million project, first introduced the concept of a ClassroomOf The Future in which technology would transform teaching and allow students to
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learn anywhere.

Over the past five years, a series of pilot tests and trials were conducted in schools

such as River Valley High and Crescent Girls' School for students to attend lessons,do their homework and take tests using tablet PCs.

Pupils in other schools such as Nan Chiau Primary were given personal digital

assistants which, like the tablet PCs, could be used at wireless hot spots around

the island for free and provide easy access to the Internet.

Under the initiative, teachers were also encouraged to use technology in their

lessons.

From 2004 to last year, 26 teachers received the Microsoft-Ministry of Education

Professional Development Award (MMPDA) for their effective and innovative use oftechnology to support learning. Winners were sponsored on trips for regional

competitions.

Anglo-Chinese School (Junior) teacher Matthew Ong, the distinction award winner

in 2007, for instance, created a game to teach National Education, which

transported students to a virtual island where they had to devise attack or defenceplans based on historical information provided in their files.

The recognition of teachers remains an important pillar in BackPackLive! The call

for entries for MMPDA 2009 is open and will close on Aug 11.

Under the new programme, Microsoft will bring in recognised international advisers

as consultants for teachers.

Besides the teaching community, software companies here can obtain greatersupport to develop educational products and advance their inventions overseas.

The promotion of cyber-security and knowledge of intellectual property rights is

another important focus.

Said Associate Professor Philip Wong, who is the associate dean, Pedagogical

Development & Innovations, at the NIE and a Microsoft international adviser: 'It isnow not so much about the power of technology, but how we use the technology

to make sure our students pick up the correct learning skills, such as evaluatingappropriate information and constructing knowledge.'

This article was first published in The Straits Times.

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Sat, Jul 18, 2009

The New Paper

$6,000 for hard-to-find subject teachers

By Santokh Singh and Liew Hanqing

SOME senior teachers are cynically calling it a 'hardship grant' - paid to newbies to study

and teach subjects for which there is a short supply of teachers.

Officially, it is known as a 'study grant'. But it's not for all who're studying to become

teachers.

The scheme, launched by the Ministry of Education (MOE), is to reward only new

teachers who have opted to study and teach certain subjects in secondary schools andjunior colleges.

The subjects facing a shortage of teachers were not revealed by the ministry.

The one-time grant is a tidy sum of $6,000, that several new teachers have started to

enjoy barely months into their careers.

Does it smack of the type of sign-on fee used in the private sector?

A ministry spokesman told The New Paper that teachers getting the grant are those whohave been selected and assigned curriculum subjects in disciplines where there is a

greater need for teachers.

Said the spokesman: 'This grant is similar to the $6,000 study grant under the MOETeaching Award, which is open to A-Level and polytechnic graduates, as well as local

undergraduates who are pursuing a local degree in a teaching subject.'

Only the cream of the crop will be selected for the study grant.

The spokesman added that the grant is open to teaching applicants who have alreadygraduated or are graduating from university.

'These are outstanding candidates who would have been eligible for the MOE Teaching

Awards had they applied for them earlier,' she said.

The ministry did not disclose how much has been disbursed so far.

A history teacher, who recently started work at a junior college, told The New Paper that
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he would receive the grant in two stages.

We are not naming the teachers as they need prior approval from their principals to

speak with the press.

The first half, he said, was paid two months after he signed with MOE, and the rest willbe paid after he finishes his one-year National Institute of Education course.

He said he was not aware of the grant when he signed up to become a teacher.

'I only found out about the bonus when I accepted the job offer - it wasn't somethingthat was publicised,' he said.

He added that he was aware that the grant was being offered only to teachers of certainsubjects.

'When I was applying to become a teacher, MOE was actively recruiting history and

economics teachers. I assumed we were getting the grant because there was a shortageof teachers for these subjects.'

'Pleasant surprise'

Another teacher, who received the grant, said it came as a 'pleasant surprise' but that itdid not figure in her decision to join the teaching force.

She said: 'The money is not that important. In the long term, you still have to becommitted to the job for the right reasons.'

Some experienced teachers, however, are speaking out against it.

A teacher, who has been teaching history in a JC for 15 years, said she was concerned

that offering a monetary reward for signing up as a teacher would attract the 'wrongtype' of applicants.

She said: 'I believe teaching is a noble profession; teachers should have the right kind ofvalues. Any reward should only be given for work that has been done. It should not be

used as a carrot.'

She added, however, that she was not surprised that the grant was being offered.

'Losing battle'

'We're fighting a losing battle here. It's a new world, and the job market is such that

people job-hop a lot more now. Perhaps you do need to offer a monetary reward if youwant people to stay.'

Another teacher with more than 20years of experience added that offering a grant couldattract candidates who do not consider teaching their first-choice job.


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He said: 'It's fair to reward a teacher for good performance, but a job-seeker should notbe applying only for the money.'

He added that older teachers, handling subjects facing a short supply of teachers, shouldalso be compensated for their hard work. This was only fair, he said.

As one senior teacher, who has been teaching English and history for more than 20

years in a neighbourhood school, put it:

'I believe that we taught the subjects because we were competent in them. We lovedthe subjects and we cared for our pupils just as much as the new teachers do.

'I do not think that it is right to offer monetary benefits to attract teachers to thisprofession. Worse still, it is a signal to us, that teaching, say, English or the humanities,

is a hardship that deserves extra compensation.'

But not all were against the move.

A school head of department for over a decade felt that the MOE was trying to attract

the numbers now to make it easier for those in the profession.

She said: 'I think we would all have a lighter workload if there were more teachers.When I look at the science and maths teachers in my school, and how they can break up

into smaller classes because they have the numbers, I am rather envious.

'In the end, it is the students who will benefit from these measures and that is what

education is about.'

This article was first published in The New Paper.


Sat, Jul 18, 2009

The Straits Times

Govt has done an excellent job in education

I REFER to the July 8 report, 'How the S'pore education system is upgraded'.

The Government has done an excellent job with the education system in order to equip

students with skills for a fast-changing future. One example of this is the direct schooladmission exercise for secondary schools.
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This exercise differs from the regular Secondary 1 posting exercise by allowing studentsto highlight co-curricular talents in a wider range of areas - from dance to robotics and

niche sports. It also gives schools greater flexibility in selecting students, as the latterare judged on both their academic and non-academic talents.

I am glad that the Singapore's education system is focused on developing well-roundedindividuals and that the Government remains committed to improving the system to

equip students with the best tools to take on future challenges.

Ng Yi Shen



Fri, Jul 10, 2009The Straits Times

How the S'pore education system is upgraded

By Goh Chin Lian

THE recession has caused some European governments to cut their education budgets, some by asmuch as 25 per cent.

Others, like Norway, have not done so as they take a long-term view of the value of education and

have set aside funds to continue investing in it.

Such a level of commitment to education by a country's political leadership is evident in Singapore,noted Mr Chris Harrison, president of the European School Heads Association, which has members

from 36 European countries.

'There's a good balance between recognising the cost of education and the value of it,' he saidyesterday on the sidelines of the 9th World Convention of the International Confederation ofPrincipals.

He was commenting on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's speech at the opening of the convention,in which Mr Lee spoke of the importance of political leadership in driving improvements to the

education system here.

Singapore's leaders not only placed heavy emphasis on education - providing the funds for it and
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garnering parents' support - but also shielded it from politics. 'Teachers can do what they need todo and not have their work disrupted or confused by extraneous political considerations which are

educationally unsound,' he said to applause from 1,500 principals and teachers from 40 countrieswho were at the opening.

Other key factors accounting for the success of Singapore's education system were: having capableprincipals backed by competent teachers; giving schools the means to customise programmes to

students' needs; and providing strong, but not too heavy-handed central support and guidance.

Mr Lee spent the bulk of his speech laying out Singapore's experience in reforming its education

sector - underscored by what educators see as a managed, but responsive approach - as well astaking stock of what the changes had achieved.

When Singapore gained self-governance in 1959, it focused on ramping up school places for thegrowing population. Attention later turned to dealing with standards and high drop-out rates, as

the first wave of reforms in 1979 introduced streaming and a national curriculum that emphasisedbasic skills like reading, writing and arithmetic.

To keep up with the changing times and Singapore's evolving needs, a second wave of reforms inthe late 1990s focused on raising the standards of teachers and principals, and giving schools more

authority to innovate.

Mr Lee said the reforms, particularly the second wave, took a long time and required persistentefforts to take effect. But they have borne fruit.

Schools are developing their own identities and expertise, there is a high standard across the board

in all schools, and a number of outstanding schools and many models of success have emerged.Students are also well-educated, employable and have a sense of social responsibility.

Efforts to improve the system will continue, Mr Lee said. These include recruiting more teachers,who must be graduates, from 2015; having a stronger body to champion professional

development; rebalancing the curriculum to emphasise 'soft' skills; and creating more pathways tosuccess.

Mr Andrew Blair, president of the International Confederation of Principals, feels Singapore can gofurther down the decentralisation path by giving schools even more say in determining curriculum,

such as in Finland.

Singapore's advantages lie in its stable political environment and willingness to take a long-term

view of education policy, he said.

'A great weakness of education across the world is 'short-termism' - when you try to turn aroundperformance in a very short time to meet political cycles. Actually, the cycle should be put asideand national interest should be the key driver for education reform,' he said.

Speaking later, Education Minister Ng Eng Hen and his counterparts from six other countries,including the United States, Sweden and Australia, said their priorities at this meeting were to

discuss how education systems could improve in order to equip students with skills for a fast-changing future.


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They agreed that to achieve this goal, education systems have to focus on attracting teachers withthe right attitude and aptitude. They must also be given the best tools such as information and

communication technologies.

Additional reporting by Amelia Tan



Fri, Jul 10, 2009The Business Times

Educational reforms key to S'pore: PM

By CHUANG PECK MING

SINGAPORE'S educational reforms have led to a system that's helping to producecompetent and creative citizens who are literate, well-socialised and have the makings of

leaders of tomorrow, according to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Sharing Singapore's experience in improving its educational system at an international

conference of principals yesterday, he said that the overhaul of the school system here inthe 1990s - focusing on school leaders and teachers - has achieved its main goal.

The revamp has produced schools that develop their own identities and expertise; a highstandard across all schools; a good number of outstanding schools; many models of

success; and students who are well-educated, employable and socially responsible.

Mr Lee said that the key move Singapore made was in devolving promotions in schools to

personnel boards made up of senior management in the education system. This was intandem with developments in the entire public service.

'The move may seem like an operational matter, but it was in fact critical to all the

changes,' Mr Lee said. Some of these changes include putting more resources ineducation, building new schools and deploying technology in teaching.

They also include strengthening the education ministry headquarters, beefing up pay and

career prospects of teachers and principals, creating more training opportunities for themand more advancement possibilities.


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Much of the focus was on what could really make a difference - encouraging enthusiasticand dedicated teachers led by resourceful and passionate principals, who are backed by

high quality staff at the HQ.

'We advanced young and promising officers to become heads of departments and

principals,' Mr Lee said.

He said that school leaders, especially principals, are critical to school performance. 'With a

good principal, the whole school blossoms. With a bad one, keen, idealistic young teachersquickly lose their enthusiasm and 'switch off'.'

Mr Lee noted that up to 1980, only 60 per cent of each cohort completed secondaryschool. Today, the figure is 99 per cent and, eventually, nearly half of the cohort obtain

degrees.

He said that education is the only sustainable basis for prosperity and progress - and the

key priority for all nations must be to improve their educational systems.

To improve, Mr Lee said that Singapore is putting more stress now on soft skills and less

attention on exams without giving up attention to results.

Teachers must be more competent - and thus there will be a stronger body to champion

professional development among teachers, he said.

'Given our limited natural resources, our human capital is of paramount importance,' Mr

Lee said.

'We have to ensure that we teach our people the best we can. Wherever they graduate

from, (our) students receive a solid grounding and education, and gain valuable skills for

life.'

This article was first published in The Business Times.

I agree that the Singapore educational system is one of the best and most competent in the world, having living overseas for more than 10 yearsnow. However it also has its flaws- to much foucs on results has resulted in pressure in defined targets from schools, teachers and pupils. Worst itbecome a cruel system that pupils who are bad in academic are not wanted and asked to move to other schools without too much help, imagin youare treated in this way, it was never like this during my study time in the 80s (we are the main economic drivers now and we did our country proud,don't we?), pupils now grown up more selfish, self-center and resulted-oriented, and this is already seen slowly shaping up our new generations. Kidswho follow parents overseas can't even find themselves accepted back in their home country, for schools worry theyPosted by: Posted at Sun Jul 12 11:32:47 SGT 2009

Dear AsiaOne I don't mean to throw cold water and be dismissive of the excellence of our educaitonal system. At the same time, to only focused onthe excellence and not looked at some of the imperfection or cracks in our world class educational system, it will be a betrayal of loyalty to mycountry. School principals athat re motivated by promotions and teachers by incentives cannot be a sustainable model for good educational system. Afew things we can do better: 1. why are there a thriving Private Tuition industry in Singapore if the school system is so good? that the late bloomersare still given a chance to bloom?; 2. why are teachers so stressed and are so focused on finishing the syllabus on time or ahead of time so that theycan REALLY work on getting the students to practice the 10-year series examination papers?; 3. why .....Posted by: Posted at Sun Jul 12 11:31:12 SGT 2009Singapore is not short of well-educated citizens, we desparately need more entrepreneurs and competent business leaders that can take us to theglobal markets; Don't just focus on study and good results, encourage our young people to participate in team sports, and to build networking withpeople in the regions; Singaporeans should have big plans and be more independent and business savvy; No point to produce so many qualifiedmanagers and professionals if they is no entrepreneurs to employ or engage them;Failing this, we may have no choice but to consider expanding thealready very big government to absorb these potentially excess labours in the future with tax payers' money; I doubt we can afford it.

SengkangblogPosted by: Posted at Sun Jul 12 11:30:53 SGT 2009
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/


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More university spots go to poor

Fri, Jul 17, 2009China Daily/Asia News Network

By Tan Yingzi

High school students in the less-developed middle and western regions of China will have a betterchance to get into universities this year.

The Ministry of Education yesterday announced new preferential enrollment policies to help boost

education in those regions, as well as to narrow the widening gap between east and west China.

New quotas call for more students from the middle and west regions to be accepted into Chineseuniversities.

The total number of students enrolled for the coming fall semester from the middle region willincrease by 6.5 percent, while the western region will see a 7.3 percent jump, both higher than

the country's average growth rate of 5 percent, according to a press release on the ministry'swebsite.

The middle and western regions of China are home to nearly 30 percent of the country's 1.3

billion population. Those areas are also home to most of the country's ethnic minorities, including

Tibetans, Inner Mongolians and Uygurs.

The education quality in these areas lags far behind the wealthy eastern region because of

historic underdevelopment in their economies, complicated geographic situations and harsh livingconditions. As a result, students from those areas get fewer opportunities into higher education.

Fourteen provinces with better education resources will provide 60,000 university spots forstudents from six less developed provinces, such as Anhui, Henan and Guizhou.

The top universities directly under the ministry will recruit more students from the westernregion, 2.7 percent more than last year. They will also cut the enrollment quota of students from

their own city and give 40,000 of those spots to students from the middle and western provinces.

Also, six normal universities will educate more than 7,000 teachers-to-be for free, in return fortheir agreement to go back to their home regions and teach for a minimum of three years.

About 10.2 million high school students took part in the annual national college entrance exam in

early June.

Nearly two thirds can successfully make it into universities and colleges thanks to the expansion
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of the Chinese higher education system since 1999.

But the West remains the poorest region in the country, despite the efforts of the Go West

Campaign in the last decade, the latest Blue Book on the Western Region of China shows.

The Go West campaign, begun in 1999, includes many incentives for the western region,including preferential tax rates, policies and governmental investments.

"The major challenge in the Chinese education system is education equity, especially in the

education resources allocation to west and east China," vice education minister Hao Ping toldChina Daily last week at the International Education Roundtable in Singapore.

The western region has less education investment in school facilities and teaching force, he said.

"We must ensure students there enjoy equal access to quality education," Hao said.

Over the past 10 years, the central and local governments have poured more than 20 billion yuan

($3 billion) into west China's nine-year compulsory education program. By the end of 2007, thefree education project had covered the entire region, according to the Blue Book.

But the shortage of qualified teachers and limited school facilities result in poor education quality,

a high dropout rate in the senior high schools and a low rate of students entering highereducation, it says.

"And most of the college graduates from West China are reluctant to go back to their hometownsbecause of harsh working conditions," said the report.

Experts suggest that the government should invest more into the schools in the less-developedregions as well as explore other financial channels to help the western and middle regions.

For example, "a special education fund for ethnic minority groups should be set up to reward

those who make great contribution in this regard," said professor Ji Zhilai from Shaanxiprovince's Xianyang Normal College.


Doing chores can breed independence in kids

Fri, Jul 17, 2009my paper

THE report, 'Students get set to serve President' (my paper, July 16), was an eye-opener.

The training programme which some Victoria Junior College students underwent at Jumbo seafood

restaurant is a good opportunity for them to experience physical labour.

More importantly, it provides them with an insight into a situation where they have to serve instead
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of being served.

Most of our young are fortunate as they do not have to cook, clear the table, wash the crockery or

even make their beds, unlike some of their counterparts elsewhere, who have to work to supporttheir families.

Children should be accustomed to doing household chores as this will help them develop a sense of

independence and confidence in adulthood.

Parents should not give in to their children by satisfying all their needs and whims.

Mr Jeffrey Law Lee Beng

For more my paper stories click here.

No, I was not pampered when I was a kid. I do not have the luxury that the kids enjoyed these days. I was not borned with a silver spoon.

My parent were poor. My mon was a housewife studied up to primary level. My dad was the sole breadwinner, earning very little. We lived in a rentedroom then and remembered moving 2 or 3 times during my childhood eventually into a rented 2 room HDB flat when I was just 12 yrs old.

I remembered that we had only a piece of bread spread with the cheapest butter brand 'Fernleaf' or margarine or just plain bread for breakfast,sometime not even a piece of bread for breakfast. My father had TB when I was 13 years and my mon was ill for a period soon after.

Posted by: Goldmine at Sun Jul 19 13:47:13 SGT 2009you guys must have been pamper when you were young, have anyone ever thought about why is it that we become parents? those ever livedthrought hard times won't want that for their child, anyone remember walking a few clicks to & from school? having to share food with your brothers& sisters? not having new books, uniform or shoes every years? what we did maybe a little over bearing toward our kids but hey that's just us(parents). we slog 9,10 even more hours than that everyday to make ends meet, would anyone like to come back to a mesy house after that? maidis alright if you don't overload their work, alot of people expect that their helper is top notch but are you? and yes, mind you i have two boys...........Posted by: OutSider at Sun Jul 19 12:26:19 SGT 2009

Great idea...eradicate 3 problems at once:a) No more maid social issues eg prostitution, crowded malls on sundays. unwanted pregnancies.b) No more maids abuse.c) Domestically trained children.Posted by: Born2bWild at Sun Jul 19 11:53:20 SGT 2009

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Thu, Jul 16, 2009

my paper

Students get set to serve President

By Joy Fang

HE HAS never touched housework before but 17-year-old Lim Kai Liang now has to learn how to

set tables and serve tea, among other things.

The first-year student was one of 200 Victoria Junior College (VJC) students who were trained in

food-and-beverage service by Jumbo Seafood at its East Coast outlet on Tuesday.

They will serve guests at the VJC 25th Anniversary

Homecoming Dinner on July 25.

From among the 200, 30 students will be selected to serve 30 VIP guests, including President S RNathan.

Mr Lim said he had always left everything at home to his mother.

He said: "I had never even put things on the table. It was my mum who did everything.

Now I'll be more understanding about how it's like... I can finally see how hard it is.

"Maybe now I can help her out at home."

Jumbo Seafood will be sponsoring $31,000 for the cost of the Homecoming Dinner, as well as

$10,000 for the students' training allowance, as part of its community-outreach efforts.

Mrs Jacqueline Ang, the assistant general manager of Jumbo Group of Restaurants, said the

company chose to hire VJC students because it wanted to give students who have yet to enterthe workforce the opportunity to learn an important life skill "of being in service to others".

"It'll be more meaningful to get students to serve their old Victorians, too," she added.

For Miss Annabelle Tee, another first-year student, the experience of training as a waitress was

quite an eye-opener.

"I used to think it was quite easy and wonder why the waiters were so slow during wedding

dinners," she said with a laugh.

"Now I realise it is actually quite tough. There's a sequence to follow (in laying tables), and you
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need to align all the utensils," said the 17-year-old.

Agreeing, Mr Lim said: "It was a brand-new experience.

You get to take a peek into the service industry and see what it's really like."

Another student, Miss Chen Jiali, 17, said the experience would help her in future should she seek

a part-time job.

"There's a higher chance of my being hired because I have experience as a waitress," she said.

[email protected]


Sun, Jul 19, 2009

The Straits Times

It's the teachers, not the language

By Cheong Suk-Wai, Senior Writer

IT IS hard being a child in Malaysia these days. Take 12-year-old Hazwan Arif, who was among

the first students to learn maths and science in English. That was in 2004, after then premierMahathir Mohamad ordered the switch in medium of instruction from the Malay language.

This September, Hazwan will take the Primary School Evaluation Test's (UPSR) maths andscience papers in English. By 2014, however, he will have to take the school-leaving

examinations in Malay. He will also have to cope with more English classes as the governmentwants to improve the people's fluency in it.

That is the quandary Malaysia's five million schoolchildren find themselves in, after the

government reversed last week the six-year-old teaching policy which had cost RM40 million(S$16.2 million) a year to run.

Deputy Premier Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also Education Minister, said the switch was necessary

now that the latest Trends In International Mathematics And Science report showed that between2003 and 2007, Malaysia's proficiency in maths plunged from 10th to 26th place. Among the 59

countries studied, its science placing slid from 20th to 28th. Singapore was No. 3 in maths andNo. 1 in science.


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Dr Mahathir has since responded to the government's volte face by polling Malaysians on whetherthey agreed with the change. So far, 86 per cent of the 86,000 or so who voted were against the

switch.

But language hindering classroom learning is not really the crux of the issue. Many Malaysians,

even those in kampungs, have ample access to the Internet and satellite TV channels withEnglish-language programming, science shows included.

It is not even about playing politics in the schoolyard by debating whether Malay or English ismore effective in uniting Malaysia. Its education system is already fragmented into four different

types of public schools: national (Malay), Chinese, Tamil and religious.

The real issue is the poor quality of its teachers. But this is a politically prickly poser since the

300,000 or so teachers who make up the bulk of its civil service are mostly ethnic Malays.

Madam Cheong Chin Yoke, 62, who trained maths and science teachers to teach in English in

anticipation of the 2003 change, said the training programme consisted of intensive cramming of

all that the teachers had to learn into all of three weeks.

Madam Cheong, who taught in a teachers' training college between 1983 and 2003, added:

'Teaching involves impromptu interaction. So it is very taxing on teachers who are weak inEnglish because they are not sure if they are getting their message across with the words they

may be using. They've to search for the right words in English all the time.'

Dr Hannah Pillay, a Malaysian educationist, once pointed out that teachers learnt best from fellowteachers. For many Malaysians, however, having to ask for help is seen as humiliating, and being

made to feel small is anathema.

'It's a vicious circle,' Madam Cheong agreed.

Teaching used to be a well-respected profession in a country where teachers shaped politicalthought and political parties. But in the boom years between 1990 and 1997, the country's

brightest graduates eschewed teaching for banking and law.

To stem the exodus, the government lowered the bar for entry into teaching to the lowest creditone can get in school-leaving exams. Then came the 1997 Asian financial crisis, which left more

than 600,000 graduates jobless, most of them of Malay ethnicity. The government then

aggressively recruited them for teaching.

Today, the profession has become a job of last resort. Teachers are still poorly paid and often

given short shrift by parents of the children they teach when things do not go well. On their part,

some teachers have been known to not be above hurling racist slurs at students.

Things got to such a head that, late last month, the ministry finally made a move to tighten thescrews on the quality of teachers. It will soon issue a blueprint for professionalism called, well,

Malaysian Teacher Standards.

To be sure, attitude is not a blueprint or budget consideration, especially not when the

government already spends 25 per cent of its yearly budget (up from 6.6 per cent in 1999) on


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education now, to little effect.

As Madam Cheong pointed out, non-Malay teachers like her who were made to teach in Malay

from 1970 just dove into the deep end as it was a matter of putting food on the table. Shemused: 'Maybe teachers today are just not trying hard enough.'

They will need to try harder.

As Dr Pillay once noted, it is pointless to talk about the Malay language as a means of uniting the

various racial groups when they are already riven apart anyway by unequal career opportunities -simply because some were taught well and most were not.



Sat, Jul 18, 2009

The New Paper

They eat, sleep, breathe S'pore for 6 weeks

MANY things can happen in six weeks.

Like finding the direction in which to take your future career. Or coming out of your shell and jet-

setting with a group of new friends.

These experiences were what international students Shozo Yamamoto and Yavuz Ziddioglu

cherished the most after a heady six weeks in Singapore.

They were two of the 23 participants in the 2009 summer intake of SIM Global Education's (SIM

GE) Asian Business Study Abroad programme in Singapore.

This programme started in 2005 in partnership with the University at Buffalo (UB), the State

University of New York.

Mr Ziddioglu, 20, is a third-year BSc in Accounting student at UB.

UB, in turn, has an exchange programme with Konan University in Japan.

Mr Yamamoto, 21, a final-year economics and business administration student at Konan University,

joined the Singapore programme after spending a year at UB.


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SIM's Study Abroad programme features visits for students to companies in Singapore.

Mr Yamamoto said the insights from these visits have helped him decide on his 'future direction'

career-wise.

He said: 'In Japan, all the multi-national companies want to expand to the West.

'I'd rather work for companies that want to expand to South-east Asia because I think that's wherethe global economy will develop in future.'

The company visits complement the programme's anchor course: Asian Business and GlobalEconomy.

All students have to take the course, which focuses on doing business in key markets in Asia, likeChina, India and Singapore, as well as the role Asia plays in the global economy.

Mr Neo Beng Tong, Chair of SIM's Education Abroad Programme, said: 'We ask the company

representatives, who are often senior management, to explain to the students how they expandedoverseas, and also to highlight the factors to consider and the challenges involved.

'For example, Eu Yan Sang CEO Richard Eu talked about working with the regulatory framework in

China.'

Students visited six companies in total, including Sun Microsystems, Citibank Singapore and the

National Library Board.

Mr Yamamoto said he found the visit to Frasers Hospitality, which manages serviced apartments

globally, an eye-opener.

He said: 'We have similar serviced apartments in Japan, but I never had the chance to visit one.

'It's a unique concept that combines the good points of a hotel and a residence.'

Informative visit

For Mr Ziddioglu, the Eu Yan Sang visit proved particularly informative.

He said: 'I was surprised to hear that the current recession has helped in taking the company to

the US.

'Mr Eu said with many stores closing down there, Eu Yan Sang was able to get the best storelocations in the malls.'

The course culminates in a final project where students work in teams to develop a business plan

for a company that is interested in entering an Asian market.

The structured programme consists of seminars, consultations and project work. In the final week,

students will have to present their final project and take tests.


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In addition to the compulsory module, students can choose a second module from a variety ofcourses, including human resource management, organisational behaviour and basic business

Mandarin.

Mr Ziddioglu took up HR management while MrYamamoto learnt Mandarin.

'I've many opportunities to speak Chinese outside of class, like when ordering food,' said Mr

Yamamoto.

Mr Ziddioglu said: 'The best part of the programme was always being with 23 people as it forcedme to be more social.

'The more outgoing people would drag me out. We visited places, like Little India, Clarke Quay andChinatown.'

They also flew to nearby countries, like Thailand and Malaysia, for weekend trips.

Mr Ziddioglu, who was born in Turkey but raised in Bahrain, said he was struck by how locals ofdifferent ethnic backgrounds all identify as Singaporeans.

He said: 'I never think to tell people that I'm Bahraini even though I grew up there all my life.'

Mr Yamamoto too shared a similar observation about Singapore's society.

He said: 'In Japan, we've only one language and race. I was surprised by the multi-racial society in

the US. It's the same here, but Singaporeans live together very well.

'Being in the programme let me see Singapore from the inside. If I'd come as a tourist, I'd only

have seen Singapore from the outside.'

This article was first published in The New Paper.

Education Upgrading for Adults


Wed, Jul 08, 2009The Straits Times
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It's back to school in times of downturn

By Michelle Tay

IT IS oft said by business leaders that there are many opportunities in a downturn - and this seemstrue even in education.

As the economy slows, senior executives and managers in companies may be feeling the urge to goback to school.

Enter the Executive Master of Business Administration, or EMBA. The programme is seeing a surge in

popularity as managers try to upgrade themselves on the company payroll. Most EMBA applicants

are partly, if not fully, sponsored by their companies.

There are two opposing forces at work, say business schools here.

While a slowdown in the economy translates to a smaller training budget, it also means there is moretime to get the training done.

Although companies are cutting costs, 'counteracting that is upper and middle management whowant to do the EMBA programme while they still have job security', said Dr Nilanjan Sen, associate

dean of Nanyang Executive Education at Nanyang Technological University's Nanyang BusinessSchool.

He added: 'They couldn't come earlier because of lack of time. Now that things are slower, they havemore opportunity.'

Dr Sen said applications for Nanyang's EMBA programmes have surged by around 25 per cent thisyear.

In particular, the EMBA with a focus on entrepreneurship that is part-sponsored by enterprise agencySpring Singapore 'is picking up steam'.

He said: 'This year saw the highest intake of 18 students for that track.'

Mr Edward Buckingham, director of EMBA programmes at French business school Insead, which has

a campus in Singapore, agreed: 'There are counter-cyclical elements that manifest themselves indifferent ways.

'More people are self-sponsored, and using this quiet period to reposition their skills over the next 18months.'

Mr Buckingham said that enrolment for the Tsinghua-Insead EMBA programme - which combinesinternational business education with a focus on Asia - is up 50 per cent from last year. The

programme's first batch of students graduated in January this year.

'These are relatively new programmes in East Asia so there is a natural uptick, which is quite

common for new products in any market.'

A spokesman for the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School's EMBA programme


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Sat, Jul 18, 2009

The Straits Times

S'pore is her home because of multiracial and religious harmony - andEnglish

I REFER to Tuesday's letters on the emphasis on Mandarin by Mr Mak Sek Hung ('Why not?') andMr Kelvin Yang ('Unity, that's why').

I am of Chinese-Indian descent and migrated from Malaysia when I was 14 years old. My father,

who is Indian, speaks English, Hokkien and Malay. My mother speaks Mandarin, Hokkien andCantonese although she is of Fuchian descent.

I speak English, Malay and a smattering of French; my sister speaks English and Malay and is now

learning German in Switzerland. Both of us are not well-versed in Mandarin and Tamil because weconverse mainly in English.

I made Singapore my home because this is where I feel I belong. Here is a place where people ofall races, nationalities and religions exist in harmony because we embrace people's differences and

understand each other through one language - English.

It does not matter what China does, or if English is the most popular language in the world. Whatmatters is the importance of national inclusion.

I agree with Mr Yang that unity is the reason why English should remain our main spoken

language. We are Singaporeans and are proud of it because we are well-educated and hardworkingand a multicultural nation.

Learn another language - be it Mandarin, Hindi, Spanish or Japanese. But no language should havepredominance over another here as no one race is superior over another. We are all Singaporeans,

so be proud in that knowledge and let us walk the talk - in English.

Sharmala Huey Yuen Bala Raju (Ms)


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Thu, Jul 16, 2009

The Straits Times

Keeping Singapore bilingual

Why not?

'What is wrong if Chinese becomes the dominant language instead?'

'I remember before independence when most Singaporeans did not speak English and most shopsigns were in Chinese. We were not poor because we did not master English. There was no racial

conflict because of lack of communication in English. Many spoke Chinese dialects and lived inharmony. Mandarin is spoken and written in China and East Asia. It will be stronger and more

popular in Asia and eventually the world. If Singaporeans do not take the opportunity to masterChinese in a conducive environment like Singapore, they will lose out, whatever their language and

cultural background. In the future, English may not be the language of commerce andcommunication in this part of the world. What is wrong if Chinese becomes the dominant language

instead?'

MR MAK SEK HUNG

Unity, that's why

'English binds the races. Improve Mandarin, but not at the expense of English.'

'Let us not forget that English is a linguistic compromise that binds the races and ethnicities inSingapore. We agree to see ourselves as Singaporeans first, and Chinese, Malay or Indian second.

Related links:

Survival in the balance

No motivation for Mandarinspeakers to learn English

No excessive emphasis on

learning Mandarin
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English has become ingrained in the identity of Singapore, and to subvert its place as Singapore'smost important language is to put at risk the cherished notion that every Singaporean can

communicate effectively with his countrymen, regardless of race or ethnicity. Singaporeans shouldtry to improve their advantage in Mandarin over other countries, but not at the expense of their

advantage in English. Mandarin should not have a more exalted status in Singapore simply because

of the rise of China. If a trade or commercial advantage can be maintained only by compromisingour identity, it is an advantage Singapore can do without.'

MR KELVIN YANG


Anyway, it's still better for English to remain as the dominant language over here. Just that one should also be proficient in their own mother tonguesso as to retain their own cultures/roots lor.Posted by: sugoku01 at Mon Jul 20 09:30:28 SGT 2009

Many immigrants choose singapore because it is a westernized society that retains some chinese characteristics, and it is an english-speaking countrywhere chinese can be used if one is not proficent in english. many send their kids here to have english immersion, to live in a country where englishis the dominant language where one is able to fall back on chinese in emergencies. by making chinese the dominant language, all those advantagesthat singapore now enjoys as an english speaking country will be lost. I predict less economic prosperity not more if you have your way.

by the way, good chinese results used to be required for kids to enroll in local universities. not any more. enough said. government obviously doesnot agree with you.Posted by: stalingrad at Mon Jul 20 08:21:10 SGT 2009

The Way I See It:

The above writer's view is misleading and it hold no values, as our local history has shown us if they only talk when making suggestion to emphasizethe Eastern value. If you do it, they will lock you up.

Hence, Rraymond is making a hoharher. :DPosted by: ILostMyBall at Sun Jul 19 22:12:56 SGT 2009


Sat, Jul 18, 2009The Straits Times

English has an economic advantage too


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I REFER to Tuesday's letter by Mr Kelvin Yang, 'Unity, that's why'.

I fully agree with Mr Yang that English binds the races and ethnicity in Singapore, and would like

to take it one step further - it is a major 'marker' that makes us Singaporeans.

For this reason alone, let us keep English as the lingua franca.

For those who advocate the 'economic value' of Mandarin, kindly allow me to share this.

In the course of my work, I have had the opportunity to engage with senior managementpersonnel in various multinational corporations and all things being equal, more than a few have

expressed their preference for hiring Singaporeans to run key positions in their Asian operationssimply because we straddle Asian and Western cultures well.

So, in terms of economic value, let us not shoot ourselves in the foot and forgo this competitive

advantage.

Ronnie Lee



Mon, Jul 13, 2009The Straits Times

No motivation for Mandarin speakers to learn English

PERHAPS the 'us and them' schism ('Crossing the 'us versus them' barrier', July 2) between what thewriter described as residents and non-residents has been propagated by what many see as our

leaders' expectations that Singaporeans should make a greater effort to integrate with foreignresidents.

Take language, for example. Our leaders' emphasis on the need to speak Mandarin could beperceived as a clear signal to encourage those of mainland China origin, one of the largest groups

here, to choose to continue in their monolingual state.

Too bad for non-Mandarin-speaking or non-Chinese Singapore residents - let them integrate. Where

is the motivation for foreign residents from China to learn English or another official language?
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Geylang used to be a mixed multilingual area. Now, almost all new shop signs are in Chinese only,fast turning this into a Chinese enclave, a comfortable outpost of China for new residents from that

country flooding the district. Is this something to be encouraged in multilingual Singapore,supposedly proud of our four official languages?

We ignore the early beginnings of a disturbing trend to our detriment, running the risk of what hashappened in Western countries, with festering resentment against whole neighbourhoods taken over

by foreign residents and altered beyond recognition.

Let us not have mixed messages from our leaders and those in authority - integration efforts must

be mutual.

Mr Abdul Shariff Aboo Kassim's letter last Saturday ('Not a mindset issue') urges that barriers to

Malays' progress be identified and removed. I suspect one reason for the decline in the percentage ofMalay PMETs (professionals, managers, executives and technicians), particularly in the services

sector in 2005, may be the lack of Mandarin language skill.

Is Singapore regressing from being a country known for the English fluency of its multilingualpopulation to one where Mandarin is becoming the de facto national language?

Amy Loh (Ms)



Wed, Jul 15, 2009The Straits Times

No excessive emphasis on learning Mandarin

I READ with interest last Saturday's letter by Ms Amy Loh, 'No motivation for Mandarin speakers to

learn English'.

I think Ms Loh has misunderstood or misinterpreted what our political leaders said about the need to

speak Mandarin, deeming it an excessive emphasis on a particular language.

Also unfounded is her assumption that one reason for the decline in the percentage of Malay PMETs

(professionals, managers, executives and technicians), particularly in the services sector in 2005,
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may be their lack of Mandarin language skills.

Moreover, she also asked if Singapore is regressing from being a country known for the English

fluency of its multilingual population to one where Mandarin is becoming the de facto nationallanguage.

It is undeniable that China is emerging as a powerful economy. And as Singapore positions itself as a

strategic, global, export-driven country, it has no choice but to capitalise and ride on the vast

economic opportunities in China and other Asian countries.

When Singaporeans do business with their Chinese counterparts, Mandarin is the effective language

they use to settle deals.

It is coincidental that an influx of Chinese immigrants and foreign workers choose to live in Geylang,

where there are also more Chinese Singaporeans. Naturally, most of the shop signs there are inChinese.

Nevertheless, English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil will remain the four official languages used in allgovernment organisations and educational institutions.

With its historical background and the critical requirements of trade and industry, Singapore willcontinue to use English as a powerful communication tool, and Singaporeans will continue to be

proud of their fluency in English.

Teo Kueh Liang



Sat, Jun 06, 2009The Straits Times

Language Arts Festival a hit

By Amanda Tan
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DANIEL Tan, 12, breezed through the spelling of 'colossus' and 'indemnity', emerging as championat the second National Spelling Championships (NSC).

He took two hours to bag top spot yesterday, during one event of the third annual Language ArtsFestival.

The Primary 6 pupil from Nan Hua Primary School beat 23 others from 21 schools, and credited his

win to 'hard work' - that is, spending two hours a week for the past three months memorising

more than 20 pages of words used in a previous competition, which he culled from the Internet.

Associate Editor of The Straits Times Bertha Henson, who was the guest of honour at the NSC, was

impressed.

'I thought they were quite good,' she said. 'A lot of the words were quite tough. I wouldn't think a

primary school kid would be able to grapple with that.'

Other highlights at the festival, organised by the Ministry of Education's Gifted Education Branch,

included game booths and workshops on storytelling, poetry and creative writing.

There was also an essay writing competition called INKPressions! and an Inter-school Debate

Championship, as well as a media literacy workshop conducted by The Straits Times' Little Red Dotjournalist Malini Kaseenathan.

The session gave pupils an insight into the interviewing and writing techniques used in newspaperreporting.

Marcus Choo, 10, a Henry Park Primary School pupil, said he had found it 'fun'.

'It was very interesting learning the basics on how to become a journalist,' he said.

The day-long event, aimed mainly at Primary 4 pupils who are exceptionally proficient in English,

this year drew an estimated 1,200 pupils from more than 140 schools.

Madam Elaine Yee, a gifted education officer, said that through the event, pupils could 'learn fromthe professionals in the field'.

Parents interested in getting their children's schools to subscribe to Little Red Dot or IN shoulddirect teachers to call Candy Chew on 6319-2306 or e-mail [email protected] for more

information.


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Wed, May 20, 2009

The Straits Times

Aussie students shun Asian languages

By Jonathan Pearlman, For The Straits Times

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA: - After living for two years in Beijing, where his father had a work

contract, 12-year-old Kane Weber returned home to Melbourne, Australia, and made an unusualdecision: He wanted to learn Chinese.

His parents found a school that offered Chinese. Typically, however, most of his classmates choseto learn Italian.

While Kane found Chinese 'more fun' to learn, his mother, Ms Melinda Smith, had other reasons forsupporting his choice. 'If he can master the language, he can master the culture,' she said.

'For travel or work, he will have a level of cultural understanding that he would not get otherwise.'

Yet, in Australian schools, students such as Kane are a rarity.

To the growing dismay of the country's business and political leaders, rates of study of second

languages such as Chinese, Indonesian and Korean are among the lowest in the developed world.The slump has continued for decades, despite Australia's increasing trade and cultural ties with itsAsian neighbours.

Almost 95 per cent of the 87,000 or so Australian high school students who learn Chinese drop itbefore their final year. Of the remaining 5 per cent, the majority are from a Mandarin-speaking

background. The slump extends to universities, where the number of languages offered droppedfrom 66 in 1997 to just 29 in 2007.

The finding from a 2007 report, titled Languages In Crisis, by the country's top eight universities,noted that nearly 40 per cent of students completed a language for their final-year exams in the

1970s. But after language study was dropped as a prerequisite for university entrance, the figurefell to 13 per cent.

The decline in Asian language skills has alarmed the leaders of some of Australia's biggestcompanies, which have formed a group, the Business Alliance for Asia Literacy, to promote the

study of Asian languages and culture. Members include the Commonwealth Bank, IBM Australia,Singapore Airlines, Qantas and 11 international business councils, including the Australia-Singapore

Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The alliance was launched this month by the head of the Australian Industry Group, Ms Heather


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Ridout, who said the global financial crisis had made it even more pressing for schools andeducation departments to promote Asian studies.

'Understanding Asia, knowing the languages, cultures and traditions, and teaching our childrenabout our near neighbours, is clearly essential for our future prosperity,' she added.

'Once we come out of this economic downturn, Australia will be looking to Asia as a core driver of

our own recovery. Now is the time to be preparing.'

Ms Kathy Kirby, executive director of the Asia Education Foundation, a government-fundedorganisation that promotes Asian studies, said one of the main reasons for the low demand for

Chinese is that it takes an English speaker almost four times as long to learn it, compared to thetime taken to learn a European language.

The United States Foreign Service Institute has estimated that an English speaker needs about2,200 hours to develop proficiency in Chinese, compared with 600 hours for French.

The business alliance has called for incentives and scholarships to encourage students to take upAsian studies, and funding to assist the training and recruitment of teachers. One model for

potential success is the relatively high take-up of Japanese.

Ms Kirby said this was partly due to the Japanese government's support by helping young Japanese

come to Australia for a gap year as teachers.

'Modern Japanese is also a much more simplified, character-based language than Chinese,' she

said. 'Across the world, we are only just starting to grapple with how to teach Chinese.'

Efforts to promote Asian language literacy have been bolstered by the election in 2007 of Prime

Minister Kevin Rudd, who is fluent in Chinese. During a visit to Singapore last year, he said he

wanted to make Australia 'the most Asia-literate country in the collective West'.

Since then, the government has launched a A$62 million (S$68.4 million) plan to double thenumber of final-year students fluent in Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian or Korean within a decade.

The funds will be used to train teachers, improve classroom and online learning materials, and

provide grants to schools and Asian community groups that develop initiatives to promote literacy.

Back in Melbourne, Kane said his class has learnt almost 50 characters in its first six months. Hehas no plans to drop his studies. 'It is a totally different language,' he said. 'There is no alphabet. I

just like learning the strokes of the characters and how to speak it.'

This article was first published in The Straits

Being Different Career Choices

ASIAONE/ NEWS/ EDUCATION/ STORY
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Fri, Jul 17, 2009

tabla!

n experiment that worked

Y PRADEEP PAUL

HEN Gopinath Govindaraj was doing his BSc in bio-chemistry in Coimbatore, India, he didn't

end too much time worrying about where he was headed.

er all, his life revolved around the Tamil Nadu city. He lived there with his parents and his

unger brother G. Karthick. He studied at Karthagam Arts and Science College, delving intoe reactions taking place in the human body. And he had many friends.

en he met an education agent who recommended Management Development Institute ofngapore (MDIS) for his next step in education. Enticed by the agent's pitch, Gopinath did

me research and discovered that MDIS 'has a good reputation all over the world'.

decided to give it a try.

bank loan and some tearful mummy hugs later, he landed in Singapore in October last yearth a suitcase full of clothes and a heart full of aspirations. And he wasn't disappointed. He

ds MDIS' Stirling Road campus 'fantastic' with four labs devoted to life sciences and a veryodern ambience.

d he's made many friends from the cosmopolitan bunch of students there too. But, beingacademic at heart, it's the quality of the education that has truly impressed him.

am really happy with the BSc Honours course in bio-medical sciences that I am currentlying,' says Gopinath, 21. 'The lecturers are very good. They have a lot of experience in the

dustry and are able to explain things clearly and in detail if we have trouble understanding

ngs, especially when it comes to complicated experiments.'

is also happy that his previous qualifications were recognised by the University of BradfordDIS' university partner): 'I got an advance standing into the 2nd year of the degree

ogramme.'

his classes run from 2 to 10pm, he tends to get to the campus early to spend some time

th his books in the library. He also has the luxury of being part of MDIS' Journal Club whichcourages students to take part in extra curricular activities that are science related,

luding debates on current cutting-edge research matters.

his spare time, he is getting to know Singapore. Having set up home in Little India - the


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oice of location was tactical as he confesses that he can't do without his daily dose of southdian food - he hasn't done much sightseeing yet, but plans to do so soon.

does manage to find the time to stay in touch with his friends in India. 'I have a lot ofends back in Coimbatore and I chat with them quite often via Skype,' he says.

ce he's done with the two-year course at MDIS, Gopinath plans to continue on the

ademic path with an MSc and eventually work in the field of bio-medical research.

ike Singapore and I can see myself staying here for my further studies and even workingre,' he says. This desire could be helped by MDIS' mission of helping its graduates find jobs

d opportunities for further study. It recently assisted one of them gain admission intoperial College, London.

d just to prove how much he likes the country and the institution he's studying at, he'scome an 'unofficial ambassador'.

henever I call my pals in Coimbatore, I tell them about MDIS and encourage them to comere for their studies. In fact, I'm hopeful that my brother can come here to get a second

gree after he completes his BSc course,' says Gopinath.


Sat, Jul 18, 2009The New Paper

Airforce man gives up bombs and fighter planes to teach

By Desmond Ng

BACK in the airforce, he was a weapons specialist tasked with loading bombs and missiles

onto F16 fighter jets.

It is, to the young, one of the most exciting and 'cool' jobs out there, noted Mr Ivan Ng, a

former airforce regular.

But after 10 years of dealing with demolitions, Mr Ng, 34, decided that he should createbright sparks in schools instead by teaching.

While some may argue that being a teacher is less glamorous than being a weapons


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specialist, Mr Ng would tell you otherwise.

He gave up one dream job to pursue another.

And he readily agrees that making a mid-career switch is never easy - especially when it

means studying something totally unrelated.

For this new father, the arrival of his first child made it doubly difficult.

He said: 'It was a difficult decision. I took a paycut of about 30 per cent to venture into

something quite unknown. But I wanted a change of environment, and I realised that after10 years in the airforce, I can't do that (being a weapons specialist) for good.'

The former staff sergeant then enrolled for a two-year diploma in education programmewith the National Institute of Education (NIE) in 2007.

He was paid about $2,000 a month while studying, and will be bonded with the Ministry of

Education for three years.

His initial fears about not being able to juggle family commitments and studies provedunfounded. He beat about 650 students to emerge the valedictorian in a graduation

ceremony on Tuesday.

He also picked up the Dr Shila Fernandez Prize for the best performance in the Diploma in

Education programme ( communication skills for teachers and the English language).

Some 1,900 newly-qualified teachers received their NIE diplomas earlier this week.

Mr Ng, who is married to a leasing manager, has a one-year-old son.

His wife, Madam Yvonne Tham, 34, said she had some reservations when her husband

wanted to be a teacher.

She said: 'It was tough taking the pay cut. When he was a relief teacher for the first six

months, he had to plan the lessons, teach, mark assignments, and he often returnedhome late. The workload was tiring.

'But I saw that he has a passion for teaching and he should pursue that.'

For Mr Ng, hitting the books was the toughest part because he was never academically

inclined, he said.

Pushed himself

'I am not the studying type. I am a very technical person and I prefer a hands-onapproach instead. But I had to push myself if I wanted to be teacher,' he said.

Mr Ng graduated with a diploma in mechatronics from Singapore Polytechnic in 1995.


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Languages and Dialects: Their Demise


Sun, Mar 08, 2009The Straits Times

One generation - that's all it takes 'for a language to die'

LANGUAGE experts estimate that about half of the 6,500 known languagescurrently in use worldwide will be extinct by 2050.

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) held a two-day Language and DiversitySymposium to promote the preservation of dying languages of the world.

The event, which was launched Thursday, was hosted by NTU's Centre for LiberalArts and Social Sciences and Division of Linguistics and Multilingual Studies.

Dr Ng Bee Chin, acting head of the division, said: 'Although Singaporeans are

still multilingual, 40 years ago, we were even more multilingual. Young childrenare not speaking some of these languages at all any more.'

'All it takes is one generation for a language to die,' she added.

While many languages are in danger of dying, there is still hope that efforts canbe made to preserve existent languages, and to create new ones.

In line with the symposium was the premiere of an art installation piece namedSingapore's Voices, a marrying of linguistics, art and technology to makelanguage a tangible item through photographs and sound.

The piece features interactive images of speakers whose languages are becomingobsolete here, such as the Chinese dialects Hakka and Teochew and the Indianlanguages of Malayalam and Telugu.

Professor Li Wei from the University of London, an active researcher in the fieldof bilingualism, said: 'One way to promote and protect linguistics is to allow


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contact among different cultures and people. New languages are created throughsuch contact.'

JALELAH ABU BAKER


Sat, Mar 07, 2009The Straits Times

Foolish to advocate the learning of dialects

I REFER to yesterday's article by Ms Jalelah Abu Baker ('One generation - that'sall it takes 'for a language to die'). It mentioned a quote from Dr Ng Bee Chin,acting head of Nanyang Technological University's (NTU) Division of Linguisticsand Multilingual Studies: 'Although Singaporeans are still multilingual, 40 yearsago, we were even more multilingual. Young children are not speaking some ofthese languages at all any more.'

To keep a language alive, it has to be used regularly. Using one language morefrequently means less time for other languages. Hence, the more languages aperson learns, the greater the difficulties of retaining them at a high level offluency.

There are linguistically gifted individuals who can handle multiple languages,but Singapore's experience over 50 years of implementing the bilingualeducation policy has shown that most people find it extremely difficult to copewith two languages when they are as diverse as English and Mandarin.

This is why we have discouraged the use of dialects. It interferes with thelearning of Mandarin and English. Singaporeans have to master English. It isour common working language and the language which connects us with theworld.

We also emphasised the learning of Mandarin, to make it the mother tongue forall Chinese Singaporeans, regardless of their dialect groups. This is the commonlanguage of the 1.3 billion people in China. To engage China, overseas Chinese
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and foreigners are learning Mandarin and not the dialects of the differentChinese provinces.

We have achieved progress with our bilingual education in the past few

decades. Many Singaporeans are now fluent in both English and Mandarin. Itwould be stupid for any Singapore agency or NTU to advocate the learning ofdialects, which must be at the expense of English and Mandarin.

That was the reason the Government stopped all dialect programmes on radioand television after 1979. Not to give conflicting signals, then Prime MinisterLee Kuan Yew also stopped making speeches in Hokkien, which he had becomefluent in after frequent use since 1961.

Chee Hong TatPrincipal Private Secretaryto the Minister Mentor


Fri, Mar 20, 2009The Straits Times

Create love of languages

WHATEVER hub Singapore aims to be, it must be a language hub. If this fails, allothers will not succeed. To this end, English and Mandarin are certainlynecessary but definitely insufficient.

Singapore must be an international city where these and many other languagesflourish. This is a resource which we can and must develop.

Having said this, let us remember that something that is imperative may not bepleasurable: for example, visits to dentists or mothers-in-law.

Languages enable us to communicate not only with our immediate neighbours,but also with foreigners whether here or abroad. They enable us to tap into the
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