SAP schools continue to develop bilingual and bicultural students with global outlook

We agree with Ms Lu Guixia that Special Assistance Plan (SAP) schools are uniquely positioned to immerse students in an environment rich in Chinese language and culture while fostering a global outlook ("保住特选学校的"特", May 17).

Ms Lu will be glad to know that many of the suggestions she raised are already in place in our SAP schools. Our SAP schools adopt a whole-of-school approach to make Chinese a living language in school.

SAP schools create a vibrant environment that cultivates students' passion for Chinese language and literature, as well as deepen their appreciation for Chinese culture. For instance, school assemblies are conducted in Chinese on certain days of the week, where principals and teachers address students in Chinese, and students deliver speeches and reports in Chinese. There are also dedicated Chinese culture corridors to display prominent Chinese poems and artworks, as well as students' Chinese calligraphy and paintings.

Most SAP primary schools teach subjects such as physical education, art, music, and social studies in Chinese, while SAP secondary schools implement the Appreciation of Chinese Culture curriculum. Additionally, SAP schools organise various Chinese festive celebrations such as Chinese New Year, Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival, and school-based programmes like enrichment modules in Chinese art forms like Chinese calligraphy. These activities not only expose students to various parts of Chinese culture, but also enable them to discover their strengths and interests. For students who demonstrate keen interest and potential in specific areas of Chinese culture, SAP schools provide them with opportunities to join relevant co-curricular activities, interest groups, external programmes and competitions to further their development.

SAP schools also collaborate with community partners such as the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan and the National Heritage Board, to provide students with experiential learning opportunities. For example, students from some SAP schools acted as docents for the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall where they deepened their knowledge of Singapore Chinese pioneers and shared their insights with the public.

Furthermore, SAP schools aim to nurture bilingual students with strong cultural grounding and global outlook. Students have opportunities to engage in virtual exchange with China schools and participate in cultural immersion trips to China. These activities allow students to develop an understanding of China's history, culture and contemporary developments, in addition to strengthening their command of the Chinese language.

MOE will continue to collaborate with SAP schools and the community to promote students' learning of Chinese language and nurture their appreciation for Chinese culture through various cultural activities.

Mdm Heng Boey Hong
Director, Mother Tongue Languages Branch
Ministry of Education

王梅凤
教育部 课程规划与发展司（母语处）司长

特选学校培养具全球视野的双语和双文化学生

谨答复《联合早报·交流站》于5月17日刊登的卢桂霞读者投函《保住特选学校的"特"》：

我们同意卢女士的看法，即"特别辅助计划"（Special Assistance Plan，简称SAP）学校具有独特的地位，可以让学生沉浸在富有中华文化和语言气息的环境中，同时培养他们的全球视野。

卢女士所提出的许多建议，已在特选学校落实。特选学校采用"全校参与模式"，让华文成为学校一门活学活用的语文。

特选学校营造充满活力的环境，以培养学生对华文和文学的学习热忱，并加深他们对华族文化的认识和欣赏。例如，在一周的学校集会中，某些日子会以华语进行。校长和教师会用华语向学生讲话，学生也用华语发表演讲和报告。学校也设有专门的中华文化走廊，展示中华著名诗词和美术作品，以及学生的中华书法和绘画。

大多数特选小学用华文教导体育、美术、音乐和社会知识（Social Studies）等科目，而特选中学则开设中华文化欣赏课程。此外，特选学校也举办农历新年、端午节和中秋节等各种华人节日庆祝活动，以及校本课程，如中华书法等与中华艺术形式有关的深广单元。这些活动不仅能让学生接触中华文化的各个方面，还能让他们发现自己的特长和兴趣。特选学校会为在中华文化特定领域表现出浓厚兴趣和潜能的学生，提供机会参加相关的课外辅助活动、兴趣小组、校外活动和比赛，促进他们的发展。

特选学校也与新加坡华族文化中心、新加坡福建会馆和国家文物局等社区伙伴合作，为学生提供体验式学习的机会。例如，一些特选学校的学生担任晚晴园—孙中山南洋纪念馆的讲解员，加深他们对新加坡华人先驱的了解，并与公众分享他们的见解。

此外，特选学校旨在培养具有深厚文化根基和全球视野的双语学生。

学生有机会与中国学校进行线上交流，并到中国参加文化沉浸。这些活动让学生了解中国的历史、文化和当代发展，同时加强对华文的掌握。

教育部会继续与特选学校和社会各界合作，通过各种文化活动，促进学生学习华文，培养他们对中华文化的鉴赏力。

教育部课程规划与发展司（母语处）
司长王梅凤