Role of MOELC in Plans to Allow More Students to Study Mother Tongue Languages at Higher Level

8 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Education with the announced plans to allow more students to study their mother tongue languages at a higher level (a) whether there will be a change in role of the Ministry of Education Language Centre (MOELC); and (b) whether Higher Mother Tongue will still be taught at MOELC to allow for more interactions and exchange between students of differing abilities, background and schools, leading to a more enriching learning experience of the subject.

Mr Chan Chun Sing: Students who are offered Higher Mother Tongue Language (HMTL) attend lessons in their own schools or at designated HMTL centres. With the revised eligibility criteria for offering HMTL at secondary schools, these centres will be prepared to take in more students and offer a rich learning environment for students from different schools to learn together.

In addition to serving as a Higher Malay Language centre, the Ministry of Education Language Centre will continue its role as a third language centre to support the learning of third languages.