The Singapore government will allocate up to S$1 million over the next five years, as additional funds, to promote the efforts to teach and use Tamil in the City-State.
Tamil is the dominant language in the cultural milieu of Singapore Indians, who hail from different parts of India.Half of this amount will be provided as grant to the Tamil Language Learning Promotion Committee (TLLPC), the Education Ministry said. As for the other half, the government would give the panel a maximum of S$ 500,000 on a 1:1 matching ratio, based on the extent of funds the community mobilises on its own during the five-year period.
The TLLPC's new plans would include enhancement of learning through the use of information and communications technology. E-story contests for students in junior colleges and upper secondary schools would be promoted. The panel was also focussing on newer methods of inculcating skills in Tamil use.
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Commending the panel's efforts, the Ministry said: “The TLLPC has organised various activities and programmes for students and parents.” The events ranged from workshops on oral presentation and drama, forums on spoken Tamil, publication of Tamil language reading kits and trips to India.
The panel was also supporting other organisations in holding Tamil language festivals, debates, and radio programmes.
The practice of presenting the most-inspiring Tamil teacher award was another community-level activity which the panel supported.
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