- Joined
- Jul 24, 2008
- Messages
- 33,627
- Points
- 0
<TABLE id=msgUN border=0 cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD id=msgUNsubj vAlign=top>
Coffeeshop Chit Chat - Chinese teachers' union met Ng Eng Hen</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>7:28 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 17) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>32713.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>May 5, 2010
Chinese teachers' union concerned
Officials meet Education Minister over review of mother tongue weighting
<!-- by line -->By Clarissa Oon, Senior Political Correspondent
http://www.straitstimes.com/PrimeNews/Story/STIStory_522588.html
<!-- end by line -->
<!-- end left side bar --><!-- story content : start -->
OFFICIALS of the Singapore Chinese Teachers' Union (SCTU) have met Education Minister Ng Eng Hen to express their concerns over a possible cut in the weighting given to mother tongue languages in the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE).
They had a 11/2-hour dialogue on the issue, which has stirred up strong, polarising reactions in recent days.
The union, which represents the 1,600 Chinese teachers in Singapore, yesterday released a statement about the meeting on Monday evening, which was also attended by Mrs Josephine Teo, assistant secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress.
Currently, mother tongue has a weighting of 25 per cent, similar to that for English, mathematics and science, the other three subjects in the PSLE.
The union called in its statement for this weighting to be preserved 'so that it is more in line with the principle of bilingualism and further strengthens the competitive advantage of Singapore in developing bilingual talents'.
At the dialogue, Chinese teachers shared their concerns with Dr Ng and gave their feedback on how the teaching of the Chinese language could be improved, particularly for weaker pupils.
Dr Ng assured them that the Government had no intention of reducing the importance of mother tongue languages in the education system. He also shared his ministry's future directions for the teaching of the subject.
He and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong are expected to meet the press next week to address concerns and outline the Government's thinking on the issue.
Public debate has been heated, particularly among Chinese Singaporeans, after Dr Ng gave a media interview two weeks ago questioning the educational soundness of the mother tongue counting for so much at primary school level.
Those who support reducing the mother tongue weighting say that the current system penalises pupils who excel in all subjects except mother tongue. These pupils are mostly from English-speaking families.
The opposing camp cuts across a broader spectrum. Elderly Chinese community leaders and young bilingual professionals alike are against a further dilution of Chinese language standards.
There are also English-educated parents who feel that a reduced weighting for Chinese does not make sense in an age when more people worldwide are wanting to learn the language.
Chinese-language teachers fear that a cut in the mother tongue weighting could lead to reduced Chinese lessons and redundancies in their profession.
The SCTU statement said any downgrading of mother tongue weighting in the PSLE 'would directly and adversely affect the resource allocation by the schools and parents and hence the attitudes of pupils towards the subject'.
While agreeing with the minister that mother tongue examinations and assessments should be reviewed, it said the review should 'strengthen the linkage between assessments and curriculum so as to positively motivate pupils to learn the language'.
The union stressed that Chinese teachers care about pupils who are weaker in the language, and agreed to measures to help this group.
'But all this should be done on the premise of preserving the importance of mother tongue,' it added.
Speaking to The Straits Times yesterday, Mrs Teo said the dialogue had gone well and she was impressed by how the union had 'brought up its concerns in a rational and professional manner'.
SCTU president Lim Chin Nam added that it had been a very encouraging session for the Chinese teachers.
'The atmosphere was very sincere and open and everyone spoke their minds,' he told The Straits Times.
</TD></TR><TR><TD> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msgleft width="1%"> </TD><TD class=msgopt width="24%" noWrap>
Options</TD><TD class=msgrde width="50%" noWrap align=middle> 
Reply</TD><TD class=wintiny width="25%" noWrap align=right> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgbfrbot> </TD><TD colSpan=3> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Chinese teachers' union concerned
Officials meet Education Minister over review of mother tongue weighting
<!-- by line -->By Clarissa Oon, Senior Political Correspondent
http://www.straitstimes.com/PrimeNews/Story/STIStory_522588.html
<!-- end by line -->
<!-- end left side bar --><!-- story content : start -->
OFFICIALS of the Singapore Chinese Teachers' Union (SCTU) have met Education Minister Ng Eng Hen to express their concerns over a possible cut in the weighting given to mother tongue languages in the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE).
They had a 11/2-hour dialogue on the issue, which has stirred up strong, polarising reactions in recent days.
The union, which represents the 1,600 Chinese teachers in Singapore, yesterday released a statement about the meeting on Monday evening, which was also attended by Mrs Josephine Teo, assistant secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress.
Currently, mother tongue has a weighting of 25 per cent, similar to that for English, mathematics and science, the other three subjects in the PSLE.
The union called in its statement for this weighting to be preserved 'so that it is more in line with the principle of bilingualism and further strengthens the competitive advantage of Singapore in developing bilingual talents'.
At the dialogue, Chinese teachers shared their concerns with Dr Ng and gave their feedback on how the teaching of the Chinese language could be improved, particularly for weaker pupils.
Dr Ng assured them that the Government had no intention of reducing the importance of mother tongue languages in the education system. He also shared his ministry's future directions for the teaching of the subject.
He and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong are expected to meet the press next week to address concerns and outline the Government's thinking on the issue.
Public debate has been heated, particularly among Chinese Singaporeans, after Dr Ng gave a media interview two weeks ago questioning the educational soundness of the mother tongue counting for so much at primary school level.
Those who support reducing the mother tongue weighting say that the current system penalises pupils who excel in all subjects except mother tongue. These pupils are mostly from English-speaking families.
The opposing camp cuts across a broader spectrum. Elderly Chinese community leaders and young bilingual professionals alike are against a further dilution of Chinese language standards.
There are also English-educated parents who feel that a reduced weighting for Chinese does not make sense in an age when more people worldwide are wanting to learn the language.
Chinese-language teachers fear that a cut in the mother tongue weighting could lead to reduced Chinese lessons and redundancies in their profession.
The SCTU statement said any downgrading of mother tongue weighting in the PSLE 'would directly and adversely affect the resource allocation by the schools and parents and hence the attitudes of pupils towards the subject'.
While agreeing with the minister that mother tongue examinations and assessments should be reviewed, it said the review should 'strengthen the linkage between assessments and curriculum so as to positively motivate pupils to learn the language'.
The union stressed that Chinese teachers care about pupils who are weaker in the language, and agreed to measures to help this group.
'But all this should be done on the premise of preserving the importance of mother tongue,' it added.
Speaking to The Straits Times yesterday, Mrs Teo said the dialogue had gone well and she was impressed by how the union had 'brought up its concerns in a rational and professional manner'.
SCTU president Lim Chin Nam added that it had been a very encouraging session for the Chinese teachers.
'The atmosphere was very sincere and open and everyone spoke their minds,' he told The Straits Times.
</TD></TR><TR><TD> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msgleft width="1%"> </TD><TD class=msgopt width="24%" noWrap>
