I REFER to Mr Anthony Lim's agreement ('Right policy, unrealistic approach'; Aug 5) with Dr Lee Wei Ling's view ('Chinese is an easier language to learn'; July29) that the bilingual policy should be amended immediately.

While I agree English-speaking children will have problems picking up Chinese, the reverse, that is, Chinese-speaking children learning English, is harder.

The problem of learning a language well cannot be solved by tuition alone. A student of any subject will benefit from understanding concepts rather than rote memorisation. Formulae that are memorised may not stick around long enough for the exams if they are not understood. Language requires even more effort amid constant exposure to it, as Dr Lee stated in her column.

To accomplish this in the midst of preparing for exams can be difficult in an increasingly English-dominated educational environment. Expensive tuition may not be the answer, as Mr Lim discovered. Perhaps we should examine the education system itself rather than the implementation of the bilingual policy.

It is one thing to lament that children are missing out on the joys of childhood, but to suggest that the bilingual policy is largely responsible for that is ignoring the overly pragmatic mindset we are forcing on the current and future generations.

Assessment is crucial but letting self-esteem, ambition and personal development hinge on exam scores, as early as age 10, is an unsound strategy.

Yeo Kheng Hui

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