Increasing the number of schools offering Tamil language instruction within the Bukit Panjang constituency

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui, Holland-Bukit Timah GRC

Question

To ask the Minister for Education in view of the concerns from residents about the limited options for Tamil language instruction, particularly within Bukit Panjang at the secondary school level, whether the Ministry can consider increasing the number of schools offering Tamil language instruction within the constituency.

Response

1. MOE offers Tamil Language (TL) instruction in as many schools as possible with the limited pool of Tamil Language teachers available. All MOE Kindergarten and Primary TL students now learn TL in their own school. At the secondary level, about 90% of TL students learn TL in their own school.

2. TL students staying in the Bukit Panjang area have the option of studying at Greenridge Secondary School, which offers in-school TL instruction, or attend TL lessons at Chua Chu Kang Secondary School, one of the 11 school-based TL centres which also takes in students from other schools. These centres offer a rich TL learning environment with a critical mass of learners.