For many years, the Singapore education system has adhered to a bilingual policy, where children learn both English and a 2nd language in school, usually their mother tongue. This policy replaced its predecessor, where many Singaporeans learned either only English or Mandarin in school, formally termed as Monolingual.
With the rise and progress of Singapore, there are those who are clamouring for Singaporeans to learn 1 more language, in order to be exposed to more languages and cultures. These proponents point to the often quoted phrase that “Most Europeans can speak at least 3 different languages.” to support their stand. Currently, only a minority of Singaporeans learn a 3rd language at MOELC (Ministry of Education Learning Centre) for up to 4 years in secondary school.
Continue reading “2 language culture in Singapore – Is it enough?”