We could experiment with Taiwan's system where students have language lessons in Minnan (aka Hokkien) and Hakka, depending on thier dialect group. The rivalry (if there is one), between the two groups is amicable. So to say that speaking different dialects will lead to a fragmentation of the Chinese community is inaccurate at best.
I think the problem lies in the fact that English is now supplanting all types of Chinese as the lingua franca of the community. Therefore, there is a fear that teaching or even encouraging dialects will lead to confusion amongst the young, further weakening their grasp of Chinese in any form. We've already seen this in the young adults today. Brought up by dialect speaking parents, they were made to switch to Mandarin and then English. Now, they probably cant speak any one of them properly.
Nevertheless, i think that young students should be made aware of their identity as a hokkien or cantonese or whatever. Being part of a dialect group, or being able to speak dialect, should not be a source of shame. I've seen parrents with hokkien surnames e.g. Ang, Tan etc naming their children Hong and Chen. This hanyupinyinization of names signals a troubling mindset, and probably reflects the attitudes of many Singaporeans today.
I AM SO SICK OF CAMPAIGNS
Stop these campaigns!!!
WOAH WOAH WOAH
last time people can speak their dialect and Chinese only, good enough.
Now
You suggest, Fluent Dialect, English and Chinese.
Wake up your idea
You think we have so much time?
Wau,
quite a lot of teochew nang here...me too...
anyway, there are many types of ppls although all eat the same rice.
i also cant speak teochew well, but i really love it because feel like kinda close while talking teochew and may close the bond between ppls.
like nowadays, all ppls stay in HDB or condo simply close doors all the time.
some worse, not even hv conversation.
mayb new generation never know that how the kampung ppls using dialects and "smoke the calumet together"during old times..
hai...world sick...
ps: i'm newbie here...