No reason to do so.

In my opinion, Ministry of Education(MOE) should not reduce the weightage of Mother Tongue language in major examinations in Singapore such as Primary School Leaving Examination(PSLE).

Firstly, by reducing the weightage of Mother Tongue language, it is being unfair to students who excel in their Mother Tongue language. They may ask, “Why not reduce the weightage of English language instead?” Quoted from Asiaone news, "PSLE should reward those who work hard to excel in Mother Tongue, not 'punish' them by reducing its weighting." Therefore, there is no reason why Mother Tongue language should be treated differently from English language.

Secondly, if the weightage of Mother Tongue language is reduced, students will have the thinking that their Mother Tongue language is not important. This thinking should not be accepted as Mother Tongue language is the root of every culture. Education should not just emphasize on academic results but also on the well-being of students and their appreciation towards their culture. Therefore, it is important that Mother Tongue do not lose its standings in the education system.

Lastly, Mother Tongue language is a very important tool in the competitive business world. For example, for a Chinese businessman doing business in China, Chinese language is indispensable when doing presentations and meeting clients. Some may argue that that they could hire a translator, however, it is a very inconvenient and insincere way to do business. It gives the other party a bad impression and somehow loses their respect, as well as the business deal. What’s more, China will very soon be an economic superpower, meaning that the Chinese language will be extremely important.

So in conclusion, we must not reduce the weightage of Mother Tongue language.

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By Lo Pei Chuan

102320J