The inaugural batch of BA (Ed) students majoring in Tamil Language has graduated from NIE in July 2019. This is a full-time degree programme offered by the Asian Languages and Cultures (ALC) Academic Group’s Tamil Language and Culture (TLC) Division. It features specialised modules such as Translation and Singapore Education, as well as Singapore Tamil Literature among its curriculum.

According to Associate Professor Sivakumaran s/o Ramalingam, Assistant Head of ALC, (Tamil), many individuals and organisations have been requesting for such a programme over the last 35 years. “The initial scepticism was whether we could garner enough student interest to start a full-time degree,” he explained. As such, it had been extra meaningful for Associate Professor Siva and his TLC colleagues when the inception of the degree was finally announced on January Pongal Day in 2016.

Associate Professor Siva continued, “Singapore has been a strong advocate of Tamil language education for some time now. Thus, my colleagues and I at ALC are really excited that our belief and persistence in the importance and possibilities of introducing a full-time Tamil language degree at NIE has finally paid off!”

Mr Satheeswaran Mathiyazakan and Ms Nashima Banu were the inaugural graduates of the Tamil language degree programme. Both had completed their Diploma in Education at NIE before crossing over to the BA programme with their outstanding grades. Meanwhile, the first student teacher to major in Tamil under the Teaching Scholars Programme is expected to graduate in July 2020. This would be a first for the TSP specialisation at NIE and in Singapore, and ALC is looking forward to producing even more BA graduates in future!