Sunday, September 12, 2010 x 4:13 PM

Should students in Singapore be made to learn a third language?

Singapore is one of the world’s most technologically advanced countries, though it suffers from a pretty serious drawback, the lack of natural resources. Therefore, Singapore has to maximise usage of manpower. To do that, learning new languages is the key to expanding to overseas markets. Why do I say so? Language is used as a tool of communication and a means to express feelings to one another. Thus, one can see the importance of language in this current day and age. Knowing an extra language would benefit us in many ways, it would broaden our perspectives as we would understand other cultures, we would be able to make closer friends of different tongues around the world and also it would improve your chances of employment or education opportunities. In my opinion, if, for example you would dedicate your time into learning languages of your overseas business partners, they would feel your sincerity and be more willing to work with you. It is always more useful to know an extra language, therefore I feel students in Singapore should be made to learn a third language.

As earlier stated, knowing a third language would bring about many benefits. Rather than just being monolingual or bilingual (in Singaporean context), the ability to communicate well with other people from other countries is very important, and it is especially so, now that globalisation is picking up its pace. As the world becomes more and more inter-connected, knowing an extra language would allow students to understand other cultures better. It would be easier for them to communicate, negotiate and co-operate with people around the world, as well as bestowing them a better chance with employment and further education opportunities. In a multi-cultural society like Singapore, with everyone knowing another language, it would add to the cultural diversity in Singapore.

Also, learning another language does not necessarily seek to help us only through superficial means such as employment and further education opportunities. Learning another language is not just a skill, it could also seek to enrich us in many ways like by help students appreciate different art forms like serial dramas, dance, music, etc. Furthermore, most literary works are not written in English and translations often cause a loss or a change in meaning.

However, many may argue that adding an extra subject to Singapore’s education syllabus would be too stressful for the students. Singapore’s education system works like a social stratification where only the cream of the crop, the top 10% academically are given a chance to pursue a third language, Japanese, French or German, as a subject. This is justified by the rest of the students, who might be unable to cope with their core subjects, like Math and Science, and yet are coerced into learning an extra language that may not be useful to them if they do not plan to expand overseas. I personally feel that learning an extra language however would be more useful in one’s life than some other subjects.

Knowing an extra language is more practical and useful in the current day’s dog-eat-dog society. Whatever the language, it ensures a better chance for students’ applications to overseas universities and after they have joined the working force, it allows them opportunities to work overseas while meeting many people and making new friends. I am sure that stress is not a problem and students can work around an extra language subject. With that, I conclude that students in Singapore should be made to learn a third language.

585 words

Done by: Justin Lee

Damn I feel it's lousier than the first.

Labels: Life