THERE was always something lost in translation whenever Miss Jessika Priyadarsiny, 21, ordered food at a hawker centre.
Fed up with using a mix of broken Mandarin and hand gestures, the polytechnic student decided to make life easier for herself by learning Mandarin.
She chose a new route - an introductory business Mandarin course run by the Singapore Chinese Chamber Institute of Business (SCCIOB), in league with the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI). Classes started on Wednesday night at Stanley Street.
The SCCIOB approached the SICCI to hold classes last month, in what is their first such collaboration. Eighty Singaporean and permanent resident Indians signed up, mostly professionals, executives and businessmen.
If response remains good, the SCCIOB will start advanced classes once this batch of students completes its first level.
'Our mission is to promote the learning of the Chinese language to everyone, including non-Chinese,' said SCCIOB senior sales and marketing manager, Mr Chew Kheng Fui.
Government subsidies mean the classes can be offered at rock -bottom prices: 50 three-hour lessons cost just $150, down from the pre-subsidy price of $2,000. Singaporeans and permanent residents are eligible for the subsidy.
The classes are a family affair for Miss Jessika, as her administrative officer mother and salesman brother are also enrolled.
Others say they are opting to learn Mandarin in a classroom setting after limited progress trying to do so on their own.
Read the full story in Friday's edition of The Straits Times.
