SINGAPORE, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Singaporean students who are strong in their mother tongue, Mandarin, Malay, or Tamil, will have wider access to higher-level classes from the secondary school to nurture proficiency, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said at the National Day Rally on Sunday.
English is Singapore's working language. Mandarin, Malay, or Tamil are also commonly seen in the country.
"Bilingual education enables Singapore to draw the best from the East and the West and to connect with other countries. That's why we can maintain unique competitiveness over the years," he stressed.
Lawrence Wong shared his experience of learning Mandarin and noted that it benefited him a lot.
"During my visit to China, I met several young Singaporeans. The bilingual foundation from school helped them quickly become fluent in Mandarin after starting there," he added.
He hoped more families could use their mother tongue at home to keep the edge.
He called on educators to make language come alive and make learning enjoyable for students instead of making language learning a tedious process of memorizing words, idioms, and rules.
Lawrence Wong also introduced measures to drive the economy, encourage childbirth, and offer affordable housing, among other fields.
He delivered the National Day Rally address in Malay, Mandarin, and English. ■
