More students can study higher mother tongue from 2026

Those who do well in the subject can take it in Sec regardless of their overall PSLE score

- Ng Wei Kai

More students will be allowed to study their mother tongue languages – Chinese, Malay or Tamil – at a higher level in secondary schools as part of a raft of efforts set to kick in over the next few years to shore up bilingual education.

From 2026, pupils who do well in the subject in the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) will be able to take higher mother tongue languages (HMTLs) in Secondary 1, regardless of their overall PSLE score.

These are pupils who score AL1 or AL2 – the two highest possible scores – in their mother tongue languages (MTLs), or a distinction or merit in HMTL in the PSLE.

This is a change from the current system, where pupils must do well across all four subjects – English, maths, science and mother tongue – in the PSLE to qualify to study HMTL in secondary school.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) told The Straits Times that it expects as many as 1,000 more students to take HMTL under the revised criteria, depending on performance and interest.

More than 7,000 students take HMTL today, or about one in five of each cohort, it added.

Giving more details about the initiatives at the Mother Tongue Languages Symposium on Sept 14, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing said English proficiency is necessary, but is on its own not sufficient for Singapore’s society.

Given its importance and benefits to Singapore, more has to be done to preserve bilingualism, he said, and challenges line the road ahead for Singaporeans, particularly young people, in gaining proficiency in their mother tongues.