Increase the Weight-age, not reduce!

A response i posted in Yawning bread's blog on the Mother Tongue issue.

have u heard japanese speak english? have u heard our foreign talent scholarship holders from china etc speak english? hahaha!
yet u hv these ppl having no problem getting admission into local uni. is fluency a big criteria? (ok i admit uni admission is more the fucked up garment's FT policy, still the point on fluency stands.)

so why when it comes to Sgians this obsession with fluency?

the key is literacy.
and really u can dig up all the pseudo-psycho-neuro-empirical justifications possible and there will still be no conclusion and end to this. Becos the fact is MOST people have no problem mastering or passing two languages. (i mean it is unlikely to claim someone is a strong student etc if he/she cannot even pass 2nd lang after putting in effort lol)

the education system at primary school level certainly needs to be looked at, but IMO it is the REVERSE that should be done. INCREASE weightage on 1st and 2nd language weightage, reduce weightage on maths, science, etc! Increase weightage will drive greater emphasis on the soft subjects like languages, this is crucial becos it is the soft subjects that are the primary foundations for the eventual development and prowess in hard subjects like science and maths later on. And these foundations need to be strengthened at the pri school level and not later.

Also posted another reply in TKL's blog... hahaha.

i am surprised that the PAP gabrament has allowed the 2nd Lang issue to degenerate to such a state.

the MOE is also showing a profound lack of basic understanding what primary sch education should be all about. Too many yes-men who cannot think critically?

Pri sch level is when u build foundations, foundations that are the building blocks to hard subjects like sciences and maths later on. And the most basic foundations of all are language skills. Strong lang skills (soft subjects) make the subsequent learning of hard subjects like science and maths much easier in sec sch level and beyond. That is what education has always been about.

So instead of reducing weightage in 2nd Lang etc. I say INCREASE the weightage of the two languages at pri sch level! This move will straight away divert more real resources into the teaching and learning of language skills instead of token lip service by the PM and the clueless edu minister.

NNB so simple also don't know, these million dollar ministers realli jiak sai!