The Tamil language acts as a ‘passport’ that connects all Tamil people, she said recently.
Singapore:
An Indian-origin minister in Singapore has emphasized the importance of the Tamil language as a mother tongue, underscoring the need to introduce children to one of the four official languages in the prosperous city-state.
The education system in Singapore encourages mother tongue as a second language in schools, including Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi and other major Indian languages, as well as Tamil, Malay and Chinese (Mandarin).
“We must ensure that our children have the opportunity to have continuous exposure to the Tamil language,” said Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office.
The Tamil language acts as a ‘passport’ that connects all Tamil people, she said recently.
Language should be learned as a living lesson, Rajah said, adding that it is not something that “you can just study, you have to put it into practice.”
“Whether it is through television, social media or print, as long as they hear, listen and use the language from an early age, we can keep it alive,” Rajah told the Friday weekly Tabla! To uphold the rich heritage of the Tamil language in Singapore, the Tamil Language Council (TLC) has been organizing the Tamil Language Festival (TLF) for the past 18 years. Rajah launched this year’s TLF last Saturday.
The minister had also previously emphasized that it is important for every generation to remain connected to their mother tongue, and therefore also to their heritage and cultural identity.
Centered on the theme “Capabilities,” this year’s TLC will be held from March 30 to April 28, with 47 programs.
“This year’s theme was chosen to inspire the creation of innovative programs while leveraging our collective strengths,” said TLC Chairman S Manogaran.
More than 65 percent of the programs have been organized by youth, which has increased engagement with the Tamil language among youth through art, culture and literature initiatives.
“Many of our youth today are finding new purpose in learning and using Tamil; many of the programs are aimed at them,” Manogaran told Tabla!
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