STUDY OF TAMIL AS SECOND LANGUAGE IN SCHOOLS

Mr S. Chandra Das asked the Minister for Education (a) how many students are offering TL2 in our schools; (b) how many students take TL2 lessons as part of their curriculum in the schools; (c) how many students go to Tamil Language Centres for the TL2 lessons; and (d) what plans the Ministry has to make teaching of TL2 part of the school curriculum.

The Minister for Education (Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam): Mr Speaker, Sir, 16,058 students are offering TL2 in our schools and junior colleges. Of these, 13,253 students take TL2 lessons as part of their curriculum in the schools and 2,805 students go to Tamil language centres for the TL2 lessons.

Sir, the Ministry will continue to increase the number of schools teaching TL2 within the school curriculum, subject to constraints of manpower and efficient utilization of resources.