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Problem: Increasing teen violence in secondary schools in Singapore

Problem: The prevalence of school violence that exist within status quo is unaddressed and often goes unheard of until a police report is actually filed or videos are uploaded onto the internet. The public only catches a glimpse of a couple of cases that go viral such as the St Andrews Secondary School boys beating up another boy at the ground floor of an HDB flat or St Hilda’s students brawling in a classroom.

Such violence is especially prevalent in “neighbourhood schools” where fights are considered a norm and there are even a few schools with students associating themselves with gangs or creating their own gangs and brotherhoods in schools. In fact, a survey done by the Association of Women for Action and Research, Aware, reveals that 84 per cent of respondents has admitted to verbally bullying another, by insulting a boy for being feminine or weak and calling him a "sissy" or "gay". What is worse is that there is a significant percentage who resort to physically bullying: 29 per cent gave a schoolmate a wedgie by yanking his underwear; 54 per cent hit, punched, shoved or spat on another; and 69 per cent took part in a practice called 'taupok' where boys pile on a target.

Current Measures

School counsellors

One or two counsellors are present in each school to support and deal with delinquency cases working on rehabilitation

Aware (association of women for action and research)

A group advocating gender equality

Holds dialogue on how boys use violence to enforce gender norms

Project Schools, run by The Law Society of Singapore

create a greater awareness of the law and inform students of the consequences of juvenile delinquency. Since its launch in 2012, 28 schools have participated and it has touched more than 13,000 students. Among the lessons is “Gangs & Rioting”.

Singapore Children’s Society (SCS)

provides programmes including ones that give children self-confidence, teach values and provide places for youth to hang out after school.

Ministry of Social and Family Development

National committee on youth guidance and rehabilitation is a branch committee and holds

ACT! Conference on at-risk youths

Proposed measures

Increase in security especially in schools that are known to have a culture for school violence, smoking, vaping etc. An actual response from school authorities and surveillance the cameras for outbreaks of fights

School counsellors are 1. Too little in schools where school violence is prevalent 2. Not enough, not much impact on students

Teachers need to be able to build relationships with the student, needs to go around the top-down approach

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AOC: Inaccurate Stigmatization of Schizophrenia in Media

According to a research paper done by Dr. Patricia R. Owen, 42 characters from 41 movies were identified and most showed “positive symptoms such as delusions, auditory and visual hallucinations. Majority displayed violent behavior and nearly one-third engaged in homicidal behavior. About one-fourth of the characters committed suicide.” It is more common to see negative symptoms such as decreased motivation and poverty of speech
Another study places the number of violent characters with schizophrenia at over 80%
- Affects those with schizophrenia as such stereotypes usually lead to ostracism of them due to fear of them turning violent, etc
- This could lead to them not seeking help as they are afraid of having such a label placed onto them
Furthermore, as the media presents those with schizophrenia as suicidal and unlikely to recover, this could hurt young minds and make them believe that suicide is the only way out.
Moreover, patients with active schizoprenia will deny that they are sick as they truly believe in their hallucinations, thus less likely to seek help. The only way they can mediate their condition is strong family and friend support, as they can help the patient distinguish reality from hallucinations through mutual trust and encouragement.

Suggestions for improvement
Films should be more careful and seek the opinion of trained professionals before producing such films as they should be responsible for the type of content that they are producing, and hence responsible for any messages that they disseminate Schizophrenia should be more more discussed as currently it is quite a taboo topic, and open discussion through forums and documentaries circulated in schools will be beneficial in educating the public about the root cause of their symptoms and dispel the myths surrounding schizophrenia.
Social media account can be established to share stories of those with schizophrenia and how they lived their life to show that schizophrenia is far more complex than just being violent or having hallucinations. Myths can also be dispelled through infographics posted
Present it only when it is relevant to the story https://ps.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ps.201100371 https://www.mentallyaware.org/stigmatization-of-schizophrenia-in-the-media/

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AOC: Loss of heritage through the demolishment and gentrification of tangible heritage

Singapore is a city which has a strong emphasis on development and modernisation. However, we may be at risk of neglecting and losing our tangible heritage. In recent years, Singapore’s heritage and traditional roots have been threatened by the demolishment and gentrification of its tangible heritage (eg buildings, monuments, landscapes etc). For example, with the addition of hipster cafes and fashion boutiques, areas such as Kampong Glam, Tiong Bahru and Holland Village have been gentrified in recent years. This causes the identity of the place to become one which is foreign and the rich histories behind these places are at risk of being lost. In addition, other landmarks such as People’s Park Complex and Golden Mile Complex are at risk of demolishment. Our heritage is extremely crucial for it is an integral part of us and our Singaporean identity. It is the collective story across generations and shows how we have progressed as a nation. These are not just buildings and places - they are part of our tangible heritage and are a physical manifestation and representation of our histories. When these landmarks are demolished or gentrified, the histories behind these places are at risk of being forgotten (which unfortunately has occurred in certain areas). In the long run, the loss of heritage means that the cultural and social fabric of Singapore will be threatened.

SCOPE:

Type of problem situation: gentrification, demolishment, profit vs preservation, culture and identity, loss of traditional culture

Target Audience: people who live in these communities, people who visit these places, businesses, government

CURRENT MEASURES:

Govt:

NHB and MCCY’s heritage plan -  first master plan for Singapore’s heritage and museum sector aiming to raise awareness and pride in Singaporean heritage and identity, focusing on four sectors: our places, cultures, treasures and communities.

NGO:

Singapore Heritage Society - non-profit, non-government organisation focusing on research, public education, advocacy of heritage conservation in Singapore. Efforts include talks, building archives, hosting museum exhibitions etc.

Avenue 1960s -  a campaign that aimed to connect Singaporean youths with local heritage, encouraging them to discover more about it - included a postcard competition, campus outreach activities etc

Suggestions for improvement: (general focus on fostering more communication between construction authorities/businesses and govt/people affected by demolishment + encouraging greater public involvement in heritage preservation)

Greater public involvement: encouraging heritage preservation

Public

Increase interest and curiosity towards tangible heritage so that they will make an effort to find out more and in the long run ensure heritage preservation

From youth to elderly

Government

Co-operation with businesses and organisations, striking a balance between development and preservation

Under circumstances when demolishment is inevitable, find a way to preserve and continue the stories and heritage contributed by said places/buildings

Overall, good effort in articulating the concerns on this topic and efforts in researching on CMs. A sharper focus is needed though, in order to proceed with clarity. E.g.you may consider zooming in on the NGO's efforts to analyse more deeply what they have done, and what are possible AFIs or Unaddressed Gaps in their measures

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Area of concern:

Unsatisfactory speed of adaptation of solar energy, need to find methods to facilitate research and development quicker. As of 2018, 95% of Singapore’s electricity is derived from natural gas, and while the government has set a benchmark for 350 MWp by 2020, the solar energy sector is not growing as quickly as desired. This situation also contributes to Singapore’s lack of commitment towards combating global warming, as Singapore’s mean temperature has increased by an alarmingly fast 0.25 C per decade.

Current Measures

Three main projects that are initiated by Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS) to explore the expansion of its use in the industrial sector.

Bustling entrepreneurial scene (80 solar energy companies have started in Singapore since 2008)

Initiative since 2008 to install solar panels on housing development board rooftops

The government makes deals with companies to store solar energy

The HDB’s contract with Sembcorp solar Singapore and Kurihara Kogyo Co, is the third solar elating tender under the solar nova programm.

Research:

Constraints faced by Singapore

Limited land area (only 700km2) - solar panels require large space and surface area and hence this land constraint is a challenge

Lack of governmental subsidies and support

Solar panels are expensive to purchase and install. A 5 kW system would cost around $25,000-$35,000.

Retrofitting rooftops with a solar energy system is a tall order, can take up to 40 days per block

Manufacturers will face challenges integrating the solar panels into building designs

Furthermore, solar panels only work under sunlight, and Singapore receives intermittent sunlight as it faces prolonged periods of cloud covers.

Benefits of solar energy

solar energy doesn’t generate carbon emissions -> more sustainable

Doesn’t require import of fuels which strengthens our energy security

Adapt, Improvise, Overcome

Use reservoirs to test on experimental solar panels

Across the island, there are already over 2000 solar panel installations on both commercial and residential buildings. Even though the number is rising, Singapore’s land constraint remains a challenge, since solar energy generation is dependent on surface area. This thus calls for new ideas brought to action. One such example is floating solar farms. These floating solar farms make use of the surface area if the sea unlike those traditional ones on land. Solar panels are mounted on pontoons to float on the sea’s surface and generate solar energy. An $11 million test bed was already made through the collaboration of PUB & EDB, generating 1 MWp of energy, enough to power 250 four-room flats for a year, performing 5 to 15 % better than SG’s rooftop installations.

Sources:

https://www.eco-business.com/news/singapore-could-be-25-solar-powered-by-2025/

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-s-solar-capabilities-to-be-strengthened-through-3-new-10106468

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/cnainsider/floating-solar-farm-hdb-singapore-testbed-energy-photovoltaic-10064656

https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/848-hdb-blocks-government-sites-get-solar-panels-q2-2020-sembcorp-awarded-solar-leasing

Overall, good effort in researching on CMs and constraints of solar energy application in SG. You will need however, to analyse the findings further, in order to find a workable perspective to pursue for this topic, given the numerous plans and measures already in place, as well as the practical constraints that will remain. E.g. perhaps it could be about how solar energy business owners could be enhanced, say in terms of publicity etc,  since you mentioned that the sector is bustling, but take up rate of their service provision is still relatively low?

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Area of Concern: Family Violence and Domestic Abuse in Singapore

According to the statistics recorded by the Ministry of Social and Family Development, domestic violence against women has ranged from 74-76% from 2012 to 2016, while domestic violence against men has ranged from 24-25% in the same period

Since 2012, an average of 200 elderly abuse cases have been reported each year

The MSF handled 343 child abuse cases in 2013, to handling 894 in 2017

MSF’s child protective service (CPS) has also recorded a surge in reports, from 2,022 in 2015 to 3,344 in 2017.

The World Health Organisation stated, in 2016 worldwide, for every 1 reported case of domestic abuse, 23 cases went unreported

Target Audience: Victims of Domestic Abuse/Singaporeans who may encounter cases of domestic/family violence

Current Measures:

#breakthesilencesg

https://www.breakthesilence.sg/Pages/Home.aspx

Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE SG)

We Can! Campaign (awaresg - violence against women)

ComCare

Ministry of Social and Family Development

Family service centres

Underlying Problem:

Despite the measures put in place, victims may not step up to seek help due to factors such as threats from the inflictors as well as worries and feelings of guilt preventing them from reporting their attackers. Unfortunately, victims of domestic abuse range from the young to the old. (The physically disabled, elderly, women, young children, etc.)

Measures to tackle the problem:

Given the reluctance of victims to come forward, it is therefore important that friends and relatives learn to spot the signs and offer them support and assistance. Public education on the reality of family violence also needs to be more widely implemented so as to equip all with the know-how when handling a possible case of family violence.

Social media campaigns as well as educational videos and infographics (#breakthesilence) allow for greater outreach to raise awareness about domestic abuse. These campaigns would teach citizens to be more wary of possible domestic abuse cases, and would let more know the proper channels to contact in case of a suspected abuse case.

Besides raising awareness and national education, the appropriate authorities (MSF) or  various orgs should also take the initiative to send personnel out for scheduled check ups to susceptible families, or those undergoing counselling or recovering from previous cases of domestic abuse.

Overall, a commendable effort in research findings on domestic violence and on the CMs. For better focus , it would be better to select a particular target audience. E.g. abuse of elderly specifically?

For the CMs, you can then better focus on measures for the elderly, to find more specific unaddressed gaps/ AFIs.

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AOC: Javan Mynahs in neighbourhoods as an invasive species

In Singapore, one of the most common species of birds we see everywhere are the Javan Mynahs. However, a pattern has emerged in certain neighbourhoods and condominiums in the Potong Pasir area, where residents are beginning to notice the birds posing as a nuisance, as they leave bird droppings wherever they see fit, alongside make noise at ungodly hours in the morning. This greatly disturbs the residents in Potong Pasir, and has adverse effects on the environment since the amount of birds present disrupts the eco system around parks at that area too.
Source: https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/cacophony-mynah-birds-headache-some-potong-pasir-residents

Current Measures:

A ‘roost nest’, where the birds are allowed to enter the net and roost on the tree but not to leave. The net was removed after a few days and the trapped birds were euthanised with carbon dioxide.

In September, the NPB pruned several trees in Upper Serangoon Road to prevent the birds from roosting on them, as Javan Mynahs prefer trees with denser crowns.

Laser pointers with power outputs of up to five milliwatts used to deter them from roosting.

Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/major-intervention-to-tackle-mynah-issue

Possible measures:

Research on their nesting habits and find out what attracts them specifically to that neighborhood in potong pasir

Set up the factors that they get attracted to in different parks in Singapore instead so they can spread out their roosting habitats and not be concentrated in these few neighbourhoods (e.g. denser trees)

Remind people not to feed and attract them through various methods (e.g. posters, brochures)

While this is an issue for the residents affected, it's rather narrow for a PW topic, which requires eventual expansion into a 3000 word report. I would encourage you both to consider another topic, as a backup for more options.

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Area of Concern:

Excessive plastic consumption by producers and consumers in Singapore

This AOC is pressing as excessive plastic consumption will lead to adverse impacts on our environment. Singaporeans use plastic excessively and take them for granted. The vicious cycle of plastic usage will lead to an increase in plastic wastes being discharged into the environment if they are not properly recycled. Plastics are non-biodegradable and cannot easily be decomposed, thus take up space which is undesirable for countries like Singapore where land space is scarce. Another convenient alternative for industries to dispose of plastics is through combustion, but this will ultimately result in air pollution which is harmful to the environment. Thus it is imperative that plastic consumption is reduced.

Scope:

People who reside in Singapore

Plastic types: Straws, Cups, Cup lids, Plastic bags

Existing Research/Information

NEA- Waste management and recycling statistics

In 2017, the amount of plastic waste disposed of is 763400 tonnes, the amount of plastic waste recycled is 51800 tonnes and the amount of plastic waste generated is 815200 tonnes. The recycling rate of plastics is at a low 6%.

In 2016, the amount of plastic waste disposed of is 762700 tonnes, the amount of plastic waste recycled is 59500 tonnes and the amount of plastic waste generated is 822200 tonnes. The recycling rate of plastic is 7%.

In 2015, the amount of plastic waste disposed of is 766800 tonnes, the amount of plastic waste recycled is 57800 tonnes and the amount of plastic waste generated is 824600 tonnes. The recycling rate of plastics is 7%.

In 2014, the amount of plastic waste disposed of is 789000 tonnes, the amount of plastic waste recycled is 80000 tonnes and the amount of plastic waste generated is 869000 tonnes. The recycling rate of plastic is 9%

Reference: https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/waste-management/waste-statistics-and-overall-recycling

The monstrous scale of plastic bag wastage in Singapore

If each person in Singapore uses 1.6 plastic bags a day, the country would guzzle enough petroleum in a year to drive 8,555 cars round the world.

And the 1.6 bags that comes to per person per day is twice as many as the average Malaysian uses and thrice the figure in Australia.

The number of plastic bags being disposed of: About 420 tonnes every day in 2017, or 2,640 bags every three seconds.

Reference: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/cnainsider/monstrous-scale-plastic-bag-wastage-singapore-charge-recycle-10100010

Current Measures by Government and NGOs

Government

NEA have made plans for businesses to report on their packaging waste and their waste reduction plans mandatorily by 2021.

NGO

The Singapore Environmental Council (SEC) has began a campaign themed “Two is Enough” in order to encourage consumers to limit themselves to two plastic bags on each shopping trip. The campaign will also involve measures such as training cashiers, consumer education and eco-friendly tips, especially targeting specific groups in the population as reflected in the study they conducted.

SEC is working with various organisations to conduct consumer education. These organisations include NTUC Fairprice and Coca-Cola

Consumer education will mainly encompass the situation regarding plastic waste and the need to reduce plastic waste.

Such groups include the elderly, where the campaign will use multiple dialects to convey the message to the elderly more effectively.

Others

StrawFree Singapore is an environmental campaign started by Ang Zyn Yee, a Year Two student at Hwa Chong Institution (College).

This campaign emphasises on the importance of reducing use of plastic straws, thus contributing to the reduction of plastic consumption. Zyn Yee conducts talks at various schools, companies and discusses with organisations on how straw-lite or straw-free arrangements could be made.

Through this campaign, Zyn Yee has successfully convinced about 20 F&B establishments in Changi Airport to go straw-lite. Other F&B chains that agreed to go straw-lite include 4Fingers Crispy Chicken and KFC.

References

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/plastic-bags-supermarkets-singapore-tax-sec-10576660

https://www.yp.sg/straw-free-sg/

This is a long standing issue with little impact achieved over the years. For better focus, perhaps you can consider a deeper analysis of the campaign efforts by SEC, to see if there're any unaddressed gaps, AFIs to work on, to maximise the impact of the campaign.

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AOC: More To Be Done for Small Animals in Singapore That are being Neglected and Abandoned

Scope:
Small animals: rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs

Problem:
In Singapore today, many small domestic animals are being subjected to neglect in households. Cases include these animals being housed in cages with wired flooring, fed inadequate diets and/or left in corridor without human company for a day. This results in the animals suffering from malnutrition and various other illnesses which could have been prevented if not for the irresponsibility of owners. Some reasons of such cases include owners claiming that the animal is “too active” or “destroying the house”, hence resorting to such measures. Furthermore, there are currently no laws in Singapore that aims towards preventing these issues of neglect, only that under the Animals and Birds(Amendment) Act 2014, anyone who is found guilty of cruelty to animals including abandonment of any animal can be imprisoned for up to 18 months, fined up to 15000 or both. This aggravates the situation and promotes a negative message that it is acceptable for people to place little emphasis on their pets’ welfare as long as it does not fall under the category of physical abuse or abandonment, which in some cases may result in the animal having to suffer longer under the care of its incapable owner.

Current Measures:

1. SPCA inspectors visit premises in question to verify cruelty reports before proceeding to counsel the owners.

2. SPCA refers more dire cases that require enforcement action by the authorities  to AVA

3. SPCA provides detailed information on their website to guide the public on what to do to report an abuse case

(http://www.spca.org.sg/services_inspectorate.asp)

1. 2017: AVA sent out the Code Of Animal Welfare(for pet owners) which Lay’s our minimum standards in accountability, animal housing and environment, as well as animal management and care.(however it is not an offence if they do not meet min. standards, only used to support prosecution/enforcement actions for cases of animal neglect/abuse

(https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/animal-welfare-code-for-pet-owners)

While animal abuse remains an issue, you will need to analyse and articulate what else could be done for an issue which is ultimately about individual responsibility. Are there unaddressed gaps, AFIs in the CMs that you could zoom in on? If not, it would be good to consider another topic, as a backup for more options.

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Scope :  Singapore's elderly and their struggle with depression.

The problem :

A striking majority of Singapore's elderly population, especially those aged 75 and above often turn to commiting suicide as a means to escape the isolation and loneliness they feel in the last few years of their lives. There are a number of reasons for this problem, but in most cases the most common cause is that many of these elders, often struggle with a crippling case of depression after losing a loved one, after being ‘abandoned’ by their children or by being diagnosed with one or multiple medical conditions. However, the most significant aspect of this problem, is the difficulty in identifying cases of elderly depression as many elders tend to live in recluse or are often ignored as being ‘just senile in their old age’. In Singapore, depression is often cited as a ‘taboo’ subject. Along with the social stigma, many of the elders tend to self-stigmatize due to their fear of being judged, ostracised or seen as ‘weak’. Moreover, they may not be used to or comfortable with sharing their thoughts and struggles, thus exacerbating the difficulties in identifying the elderly with depression. Hence, many of Singapore’s elderly are often easily forgotten and left to cope with their own issues.

Research :

Suicide rates of the elderly population on the rise :

The number of elderly aged 60 and above who took their own lives peaked at 129 in 2017, the highest since suicide tracking started in 1991.

This is six more than the reported 123 elderly suicides in 2016.. The proportion of elderly suicides has also gone up: Seniors made up 36 per cent of 361 suicides reported in 2017, compared to 29 per cent of 429 suicides the year before.

(Source : Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) , Channel News Asia)

‘Like a knife poking my heart’: Loss, Loneliness and the killing pain of elderly depression:

One in five elderly persons in Singapore aged 75 and above show signs of depression, according to the Singapore Longitudinal Ageing Study in 2012 by the National University of Singapore’s Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine...Among the elderly with dementia, it is “very common” for depressive features to be present, said Dr Chris Tsoi, a consultant at the National University Hospital’s Department of Psychological Medicine. “The other way round is also true,” he added...The NUS’ Singapore Longitudinal Ageing Study in 2004 found that widowed or divorced persons above 65 were more likely to experience depression (22 per cent) than widowed or divorced persons between the ages of 55 and 65 (13 per cent).

(Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/cnainsider/elderly-depression-lonely-dementia-chronic-illness-treatment-10159670 , Channel News Asia)

Reasons for depression in the elderly :

Loss of a spouse or loved one

Medical conditions/ health issues eg. terminal illness or loss of independence, due to crippling conditions ie. stroke, disability,dementia

Being a burden to their children (strain in relationships)

Elder abuse

What are some measures put in place to help the elderly?

Volunteer and welfare groups

Home services

Senior Activity Centres

Charities

Hospitals

Senior Cluster Networks (initiated by Ministry of Social and Family Development)

Research:

Lonely and 'waiting to die', Singapore's elderly poor find hope in many helping hands:

She has blossomed under the care of Ms Ahmala, meal delivery services, befrienders from volunteer group Helping Joy, NTUC Health Care@home services, and the Senior Activity Centre in her block...growing community network striving to ensure they find some measure of well-being and companionship in their final years. It’s an extensive web made up of welfare groups, charities, hospitals, and operators (like NTUC Health) of Senior Cluster Networks initiated by the Ministry of Social and Family Development...Alleviating the loneliness and stress is what volunteer group Happy People Helping People Foundation is all about. Apart from organising food vouchers and ration packs for their clients, who are elderly cardboard collectors, the group also holds get-togethers and outings to places like the zoo.

(Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/cnainsider/lonely-and-waiting-to-die-singapore-s-elderly-poor-find-hope-in-8844768, Channel News Asia)

A commendable effort in researching on CMs and the extent of the problem situation. However, you'll need to be able to find a focus to zoom in on. E.g. perhaps you can further analyse the efforts of a particular organisation like Happy People Foundation, and see if their current measures have any unaddressed gaps or AFIs.

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Wen Xuan, Xinyue, Zhixuan

AOC: Conservation of Hokkien dialect among Singaporean youth
- Historical background: Historically, Hokkien had been the common language among Singaporean Chinese. In its peak, even many political speeches were delivered in Hokkien. “Speak Mandarin Campaign”, which was initiated by the government in 1979, marked the downturn of Hokkien language. Ever since then, the Hokkien-speaking community has declined greatly. Nowadays, many Hokkien elderly are able to communicate effectively in Hokkien, while the middle and younger generations have generally lost the ability to communicate as fluently.
- the status quo: A research in 1980 showed that over 80% of primary students spoke dialects in their households. The number precipitated to12% in 2014, when the same research was conducted.

CM:
Revival through social media:

Facebook Singapore Hokkien Language and Culture Society—> Discussion forum on all aspects of Hokkien Chinese, with a primary focus on the Singaporean Hokkien dialect and its variations from other forms of Hokkien.

Facebook Singapore Hokkien Meet-up—> Group that organizes regular meetups for language practice. It also organizes free language courses and sharing sessions for those who are interested.

Facebook Singapore Hokkien Language Meet-up Group—> Same as the Facebook group, but organized over Meetup.

Facebook Writing in Hokkien: “I began to realize that Hokkien was my real mother tongue and Mandarin was my stepmother tongue,” said Lee Xuan Jin, 18, who started a Facebook page dedicated to preserving Hokkien. “And I wanted to get to know my real mother.”

Governmental support:

For the first time since 1970s, a television series Eat Already? was broadcasted in Hokkien. (Sep 2016)

And in May, the government endorsed a new multidialect film project, with the minister of education making a personal appearance at the film’s release.

Hokkien  Huay Kuan:

“Basic Conversational Hokkien Course”

About Current Measures:

positive elements: surging number of people who realise the importance of dialects and start to learn dialects.

Negative elements: many Singaporean Chinese are not incentivised to learn languages other than English and Mandarin as they see little economic value in it<— it is a result of long-term inculcation of pragmatism.

Possible improvements

A more targeted approach, the target audience should be the young ones since they will be the one that can ensure that the dialects are appreciated and passed on to further generations

dialect courses specifically made for students. dialects do not differ too much from the root language (in this case, Chinese). it is not spoken as often not because it is hard to learn but because of the lack of incentive to do so.

organisations (eg Hokkien huay kuan) to organise competitions, schools can help to publicise.

Songs? Pop culture? Since this is a large influence for young people. If done right, this might be one of the best methods to ensure widespread approval and education of dialects amongst Singaporean youth

School activities ( possible problem: not all students are Chinese … some other races have their own dialects too, thought. Is this included in our scope as well?)

Broadcast/ show movies/ tv shows in dialects (from overseas, if SG doesn’t have enough. There aren’t many actors who are very fluent in dialects or experiences in acting in movies with a full dialect script, hence we can start by importing…?)

Main focus should be to “rebrand” dialects, from something that is seen as old and useless to something that is considered to be useful and worth learning.

A commendable effort in researching on CMs and the extent of the situation. For a topic like this however, the significance of preserving dialects need to be argued convincingly, beyond bridging intergenerational gap. The de-emphasis on dialects was in support of our bilingual policy, where it's found that most Singaporeans already couldn't achieve the same proficiency level in EL and their MT language. Perhaps if you still wish to pursue this topic, could consider zooming in on a specific organisation or learning centre on Chinese dialects promotion, and see if you could build on their efforts, through analysing their unaddressed gaps or AFIs.