Primary Chinese in Singapore: What Kids Learn and Love Most
A fresh look at primary Chinese Primary Chinese in Singapore has had a refresh. A new MOE syllabus started with Primary 1 in 2024 and will reach every level up to Primary 6 by 2029. It puts more weight on real-life communication — talking, listening and even writing messages — alongside reading and characters. For parents, it helps to know what your child is learning, why some parts feel so fun, and which few areas need a little extra care. Here's a friendly tour. What's in the primary Chinese syllabus The syllabus runs in two stages. P1–P4 is the foundation stage , where every child builds core skills. Higher Chinese can start as early as P1 (P1–P2 only at selected schools). P5–P6 is the orientation stage , when Foundation Chinese is added and children take Higher, Standard or Foundation Chinese based on their strengths. Inside each class, lessons are built from flexible units: • Core units — about 70–80% of lessons, taken by...
