Don’t jump to any conclusions after reading the title. Learning English is not a compulsion for a foreigner migrating to or already living in Singapore. There are some concrete reasons why proficiency in the language can add value to your efforts to pursue a good career or run a successful business in the island city-state. Find out how joining an English course in Singapore for foreigner can work in your favour.
English Aids Singapore’s Economic Development
When Singapore gained freedom in 1965, after being a British colony for more than 245 years, English had already established itself as a prime medium of the region’s economic interactions with the world. In order to keep pace with the fast-evolving fields of science, technology and commerce, the Singapore government preferred to retain its status as the primary language which remains unchanged even after so many years.
Irrespective of whether you are looking for a lucrative job or willing to work on a good business idea, the ability to speak, write and understand English may promise improved communications, boosted confidence and better ways to deal with a variety of challenges.
The Census Says It All
According to the 2010 Census, English was the most dominant language spoken at homes as claimed by 32.3% of the population. The figure improved significantly from 23% in 2000. The 2015 Census further took the figure to 36.9%. Considering that a large part of Singapore’s population consists of foreigners, it can be concluded that the importance of English is recognized by an increasing number of people.
The Census also provides some other interesting facts. For example, the percentage of people with absolutely no knowledge of English is extremely low and consists mainly of those born in 1950s or before that. Also, more than 50% of the children of Chinese origin and in the age group of 5-14 use English as the medium of communication at home.
Lingua Franca – The Cultural Bridge
Singapore is one of those regions of the world known for its cosmopolitan profile. In fact, nearly 42% of its population consists of people from diverse cultures, mainly Chinese, Indian and Malay. These people, apart from their respective mother tongues Chinese, Tamil and Malay, choose to learn English. Why? It is because the language gives them a common medium of communication among one another and also with the world outside.
While working or doing business in Singapore, you are most likely to come across people preferring to communicate in English. So, gaining the language’s knowledge can make things easier for you.
English is one of the four national languages of Singapore. In order to endorse the use of Standard English among the residents, the Singapore Government launched the Speak Good English Movement in 2000. The language is the main medium of instructions at schools and also of administration and communication at different levels. You may choose to learn general or business English depending on your needs. Some of the good options include ESL (English ad Secondary Language), EFL (English as Foreign Language) and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).
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