The Lee Kuan Yew Fund for Bilingualism (the Fund) has made a direct contribution to the nurturing of Tamil language along with other mother tongue languages (MTL), and English in Singapore. Singapore’s first prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, established the eponymous fund and he wanted it to help prepare Singapore children “to plug into a globalised world and strengthen links to our Asian heritage.”
The Fund was announced by Lee on 28 November 2011, at the launch of his book, My Lifelong Challenge: Singapore’s Bilingual Journey. The book is not only the story of his own struggle to learn the Chinese language but also an insightful journey into the formulation of the bilingual policies that fostered MTL as well as English.
The Fund supplements efforts by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in promoting bilingualism. It was set up as a company limited by guarantee, with Charity and Institution of a Public Character status, so that it can raise funds from the public with matching grants from the government as well as tax deductions for donors. The Fund supports proposals that encourage bilingualism, the learning of MTLs as living languages and making it a lifelong endeavour.
The Fund is managed by a board headed by the minister of education and assisted by MOE officials and representatives from the language communities. One of the major Tamil-related programmes the Fund supported include the "Community Series" held at heartland libraries to assist parents of young children in developing Tamil proficiency at home. This comprehensive programme, involving academics, vendors, and parents themselves, offers strategies and practical tips for incorporating Tamil into daily interactions. Another is the Tamil e-dictionary app launched in 2024, which is the first of its kind in Singapore. The Fund also supported the enhancement of the periodical Balar Murasu (BM), a supplement produced by Tamil Murasu. BM is now available as an e-version, featuring animated Tamil stories and songs.
For more information
“Board,” Bilingualism.sg. Accessed 2 June 2025. https://www.bilingualism.sg/about-us/board/
தமிழில் வாசிக்க
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The information in this article is valid as of August 2025 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. If you have any feedback on this article, please submit here.
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