‘No speak English’ from canteen auntie annoys NUS student, says they should not be working there if cannot speak English

Singapore — If the National University of Singapore (NUS) is an English-speaking university, does it seem unjust that canteen employees who do not speak English are permitted to work on their premises?

While studying at NUS, a student was annoyed by the fact that the canteen aunties and uncles could not speak English.

“I think it’s unfair that NUS as an English-speaking institution allows canteen staff who don’t speak English at all to work. As a non-Chinese speaking race, I was outright ignored when the canteen staff didn’t understand me. When I ask how much the food was, she replied in Chinese. And when I asked for extra chili she just waved her hand indicating she doesn’t know what I’m talking about. I kept my sentences short and I don’t have any heavy accents.”

“I am okay if I go to Chinatown for example and they don’t speak English as their primary customers will be Chinese-speaking people. I am not blaming the staff in particular. However, as a university with many international students, the school should impose a standard of being able to service the university population.”

The student stated emphatically that he was not blaming the staff. He only desires that the school adhere to a set of standards.

“I am not asking them to be fluent, but the very least be able to take simple orders and tell me the price in English.”

Even though the student clarified his views, it elicited some negative responses from netizens on several platforms, including Reddit.com.

However, some concur and recommend specific actions.

According to the website of The World University Ranking, the National University of Singapore has 40,000 students from 100 countries who benefit from the university’s multidisciplinary and real-world approach to education, research, and entrepreneurship, enabling them to collaborate closely with industry, government, and academia.

/TISG