The following article was published by my paper on 20 September 2010 and reproduced by AsiaOne News.
Helping foreign workers integrate
By Gwendolyn Ng
my paper, Mon, Sep 20, 2010
IT WAS back to school for a lesson in Singapore culture and practices for some 120 foreign workers yesterday morning.
Sitting in classrooms at NTUC LearningHub's premises in Boon Lay, these students, comprising mainly workers from Bangladesh, China and India, took part in the pilot run of the Knowing Singapore Programme.
The one-day course was jointly conducted by the Migrant Workers Centre (MWC) and NTUC LearningHub, and involved mostly workers in the construction and hospitality industries.
It is hoped that the course will empower foreign workers with the knowledge to better integrate with Singaporeans through activities such as discussions, a field trip to places of interest - like Chinatown - and sampling of local culinary treats.
During the lessons, students were also given a rundown of common Singapore laws and societal dos and don'ts.
Mr Yeo Guat Kwang, co-chairman of MWC, said that many migrant workers find it hard to settle down smoothly and integrate with Singaporeans due to different social norms and cultures.
He added: "The programme will help these foreigners ease into local society quickly, making them feel welcomed and accepted."
MWC aims to have 500 migrant workers undergo the programme in the next one year.
Employers who sent their staff for the programme yesterday told my paper that they see it as a form of welfare for their workers, and also as a way to help them better assimilate with their Singaporean colleagues.
Chinese factory worker Yu Fu Yan feels that knowledge is only one integral part of assimilation.
The Mandarin-speaking 22-year-old, who has been in Singapore for three years, said: "When it comes to getting along with your colleagues, it's more about building relationships."
Mr Yeo also acknowledged that some employers were concerned about the costs involved.
He said that employers should not refrain from sending their workers for programmes such as this just because of cost, as it would benefit them.
While yesterday's launch session was free, the programme fee is $82.50 per student, after a 50 per cent subsidy from MWC.
The course is also open for individuals to sign up.
Mr Allan Kiang, a senior operations executive at a foreign workers' dormitory, said: "If costs are kept low, more workers will probably sign up for it themselves."
Coinciding with the Mid-Autumn Festival, participants also got to taste a variety of mooncakes. It was a first for some, like Romanian Alexandru Gherman, 30, who remarked that mooncakes "taste good".
The Pan Pacific Singapore hotel guest-service executive, who came to Singapore about 11/2 months ago, intends to put the knowledge he gained to good use.
He said: "I can tell tourists where to go and what to see in Singapore now."
