Singapore, Canada to teach English

Singapore, Canada to teach English

SINGAPORE (AFP): Singapore and Canada are to jointly train officials from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia in the use of the English language to facilitate their integration into ASEAN.

The joint technical assistance project is being undertaken at the request of the three countries, the Canadian high commission (embassy) here said.

"The objective of the project is to facilitate the integration of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia into ASEAN, as the primary language used among the members countries of ASEAN is English," a statement released by the mission said.

Vietnam has become the seventh member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), after Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Laos and Cambodia are potential future members.

A total of 255 officials -- 100 Vietnamese, 70 Laotians and 85 Cambodians -- will attend courses to be conducted by Singaporean and Canadian instructors in "English for International Communications" at an English language center in Singapore.