Hokkien and Cantonese classes for domestic helpers to be held from July

From July, domestic helpers here will get to improve their communication skills at Hokkien and Cantonese classes organised by the NTUC's Centre for Domestic Employees (CDE) and two institutions.

- Ng Keng Gene

The courses will have 200 slots for domestic helpers to pick up Hokkien at classes run by the Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan Cultural Academy and Cantonese at classes by The Salvation Army.

On June 22, the CDE signed a memorandum of understanding with each of the institutions, aiming to collaborate on strengthening the language and communication skills of domestic helpers.

The signing took place at the NTUC and CDE's annual May Day domestic workers' celebration, where Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower and Finance Shawn Huang was the guest of honour.

In a speech at NTUC Centre, Mr Huang said the dialect classes will complement the CDE's eldercare courses by enabling workers to better understand and respond to their elderly care recipients' needs.

The formal introduction of the courses follows earlier pilot runs of classes conducted by the CDE, where 25 participants took part over two runs of Cantonese classes and another 11 attended one Hokkien class.