IN a bid to raise customer service standards here, the Speak Good English Movement this year will target those working in the service and retail sectors.
Key to this is a new national programme launched by the Singapore Retailers' Association called Service English for Retail Professionals, comprising a series of courses for frontline staff to learn how to communicate better with customers.
It is targetting foreigners and older Singaporeans who are not fluent in English.
This push is part of this year's more aggressive approach in getting people to speak better English, by providing more resources and programmes.
For instance, members of the public will soon be able to test their language proficiency and sign up for workplace literacy classess for free at selected libraries, thanks to a new partnership between the Workforce Development Agency and National Library Board.
These are on top of classes being held by the British Council, web portal Stomp's launch of its second 'English as It Is Broken' book, and campaign advertisements on taxis and MRT trains.
At the grassroot level, Mr Goh Eck Kheng, chairman of the movement, has also urged speakers of good English to be 'activists', by not 'codeswitching' to broken English when talking to those who are not as proficient.
This year's campaign will be officially launched by Minister Lim Boon Heng, Prime Minister's Office, on Aug 26 at Metro, The Paragon.
