PM Lawrence Wong at the Singapore Tamil Teachers' Union (STTU) 75th Anniversary Dinner

Mr Danapal Kumar, President of STTU
Brothers and sisters from the Labour Movement
Ladies and gentlemen

Good evening and Vanakkam. I am very happy to join all of you this evening to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Singapore Tamil Teachers’ Union (STTU). 

For 75 years, STTU has stood shoulder to shoulder with our Tamil language educators – championing their welfare, strengthening the profession, and advancing the teaching of Tamil in Singapore.

You began this work even before Singapore’s independence.  You carried it through our nation’s formative years. And today, you continue this mission with the same sense of purpose and commitment.

From a handful of members in your early days, you have grown into a vibrant union. As we heard just now, the numbers have increased. NTUC and Secretary-General I am sure are very happy to hear the news. We now have more than 600 members, including pre-school educators. And you have done all this as a union run by volunteers – full-time teachers dedicating their time and their talent on top of their regular work. 

It is truly a remarkable journey. Congratulations everyone on this milestone!

Our Teachers

Our Mother Tongue languages connect us to our roots, our values, and our cultural heritage. They help us understand where we came from and they shape who we are.  They also reflect Singapore’s identity as a multiracial and multireligious nation. We are all Singaporeans first and foremost, at the same time, we remain deeply connected to the rich traditions of our respective cultures.

That is why the learning of Mother Tongue languages is a cornerstone of our education system. 

But we also know that mastering our Mother Tongue languages is not an easy task, especially these days. More and more young Singaporeans are growing up in households where English is the primary language that is spoken. It is the language they use most often in schools, at work, and in their daily interactions. This makes it more challenging for all our Mother Tongue languages. And for Tamil, the challenge can be even greater – because students may have fewer natural opportunities to speak, read, and use the language outside the classroom. 

Our Tamil language teachers play a very critical role. They do far more than teach vocabulary and grammar. They pass on stories, values and traditions. They help every generation better appreciate the culture and heritage of the community. They have to do all this in ways that capture the imagination of young people, amidst many competing demands on their attention. 

It is not an easy task. But many of you, our Tamil language educators, have risen to the challenge. Like Mdm Usha Krishnasamy from North View Primary School. She realised that engaging her pupils’ senses in creative ways helped them to better remember words – especially for students with special needs. So she started using coloured sand, Play Doh and music in her class, and even guided the upper primary students to compose Tamil songs using AI tools! She won the President’s Award for Teachers last year. There is also Mdm Normanisha Sarmani from Spectra Secondary School. As a student, she didn’t excel in Tamil. But she became interested in teaching Tamil, worked hard, and joined the profession to become a teacher.  Now at Spectra, she uses chatbots and interactive quizzes to keep her classes engaging, so that her students can experience the fun and joy of learning Tamil. She is upgrading her skills and knowledge, by pursuing a degree in Tamil at SUSS and she was one of the recipients of the Most Inspiring Tamil Teacher Award last year. To these two teachers and the many others here and like them, everywhere in Singapore, I would say: ungal arumpani thodarattum. Well done, may your excellent work continue and keep up the good work!

75 Years of STTU

Just as generations of Tamil teachers have dedicated themselves to fostering a love of the language, STTU has also been a pillar of support for our teachers across generations. 

You have been steadfast in advancing the professional development of the Tamil teaching fraternity. You supported the development of Tamil degree programmes. You champion opportunities for teachers to share resources, exchange best practices, and embrace new pedagogical methods.

You even helped to put Singapore at the centre of global conversations on Tamil education. In 1992, you established and organised the inaugural World Tamil Teachers Conference here in Singapore. At that time, it was a bold initiative by one of our own Tamil teachers, Mr VRP Manickam. Today, this has grown into a respected international platform, bringing together Tamil educators from around the world to exchange ideas and learn from one another. It reminds us that although Singapore is small, we can contribute ideas that make an impact far beyond our shores.

STTU has also committed to growing the fraternity of Tamil teachers. You work closely with MOE to raise awareness of the teaching profession. You run your own mentorship and advisory programmes. And together, these efforts have helped to attract new teachers, support younger educators, and strengthen the profession for the longer term.

Crucially, STTU understands that language learning needs to go beyond the classroom. That is why you have committed so much of your work to promoting Tamil language and culture. You have forged strong partnerships with other like-minded organisations. A good example is your collaboration with MediaCorp. Many of you will be familiar with Tamizhil Yosi Tamizhil Vaasi (Think in Tamil, Read in Tamil). The programme reminds young people that Tamil is not just a language for exams; it is a living language for communicating, creating and connecting with others.

Of course, as a union, STTU’s primary function is to represent the interests of your members, to ensure their voices are heard, and that their well-being are taken care of. You have always approached this in the spirit of constructive collaboration and dialogue, through close cooperation with the Government, the schools, and other unions. This spirit of tripartite partnership is truly a hallmark of the Singapore system. So thank you all – STTU, the Labour Movement, our school leaders and school management and educators – thank you for your strong tripartite partnership. 

Keeping our Mother Tongue Languages Flourishing

To conclude, the Government is committed to working closely with STTU in your mission – to support our Tamil teachers and the teaching of Tamil.

We will continue bringing together educators, families and community partners to celebrate the teaching and learning of our Mother Tongue languages. Because to keep Tamil and our Mother Tongue languages truly alive, we need the whole of society to come together.

Teachers plant the seeds of interest in the languages they teach. Organisations like STTU support our teachers and promote the language. Parents nurture the use of the language at home. Our artists, writers, media organisations and community groups give the language colour and contemporary relevance.

That is how we all do our part to keep our mother tongues alive. When every part of the community plays its role, Tamil will continue to flourish as a living language in Singapore. 

Congratulations once again to STTU on your 75th anniversary. Thank you for all that you have done for our teachers, our students and our nation. May you continue to inspire generations of educators and strengthen our Tamil language community for many more years to come. Mikka nandri. Thank you.