Singapore Sign Language as Elective for Secondary School Students

Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng asked the Minister for Education whether the Ministry will consider offering Singapore Sign Language as a language elective for Singapore students in secondary schools.

Singapore Sign Language (SgSL) is currently used in practice by our local deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) community. The Ministry of Education facilitates its use for communication and in-class instruction in designated mainstream schools that support students diagnosed with hearing loss, who require signing. These schools have been specially equipped with resources and trained staff to support our DHH students, allowing them to learn alongside their hearing peers in an inclusive environment.

At the designated schools, Mayflower Primary School and Beatty Secondary School, efforts have also been made to implement initiatives to introduce SgSL to the whole school, such as providing signing interpretation during morning assemblies. At Beatty Secondary School, hearing students who are interested also have opportunities to learn SgSL to facilitate communication with their DHH peers.

Students in other schools who are interested to learn SgSL can approach providers, such as the Singapore Association for the Deaf.