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SINGAPORE: One thousand foreign workers are to be trained to be proficient in basic English by March next year.
That's the target the labour movement's NTUC Learning Hub has set itself to achieve. It is also working with the Migrant Workers Centre on this, starting off with the hotel industry.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong spoke recently of the importance of functional literacy for foreign workers in Singapore.
NTUC Learning Hub said the global economy is becoming more integrated, making English the universal language. Hence such training is indispensable.
Cindy Song and Nick Jia are among a group of workers from China. They are working in hotels and are in regular contact with guests.
Cindy said: "I clean the rooms and handle the guests' requests."
Nick said: "Sometimes they want baby-sitting things and bath tubs for the babies. (These are)very special things."
Their bosses want them to be equipped with basic English so that they can be more confident when dealing with guests and customers.
Hence they have been undergoing 36 hours of English lessons over 12 weeks. So far 12 companies from the hotel sector are taking part in the training programme.
Erica Chui, Orchard Hotel's human resource director, said: "I encourage them (the staff) to listen to the English radio channel. Channel NewsAsia is available throughout the day, I have encouraged them to (watch and) listen to the news readers. They have very good pronunciation...."
A similar programme has also been going on for expatriate teachers from China since 2007 to improve their spoken English.
Besides the services sector, NTUC Learning Hub has plans to reach out to more sectors.
In fact, it has received enquiries from the shipyards and construction sectors to have foreign workers in these industries trained in basic English.
So workers from more countries like Bangladesh and India will also benefit from this move.
Zee Yoong Kang, CEO of NTUC Learning Hub, said: "By far Learning Hub has the largest pool of English language teachers. We intend to increase the number of language trainers we have and we also have the ability to conduct large numbers of classes for large numbers of people. So we believe we are well placed to help in this national effort."
Meanwhile the Manpower Ministry says it is looking at ways to require employers in the retail and food and beverage sectors to have their foreign workers learn some basic English. Details of one such programme will be finalised soon.
- CNA/ir
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