(Rant) Why is mother tongue an essential subject?

I got A for everthing but C for chinese for PSLE that made me unable to apply for my target school.

Dropped to Chinese Basic (chinese but kid level) in secondary and spent hours on remdial lesson just to pass. Couldnt apply for JC without higher mother tongue.

Went to poly where there is no chinese involved. Now I am in NUS studying for degree.

I can still speak in chinese just not write essays or read effectively. But why did it made my childhood a living hell thinking I was a failure from primary to secondary school. I was even "threatened" to be dropped into normal academic to provide time to improve chinese before deciding to drop it.

I was at some point thinking of giving up education. (i still did by dropping mother tongue language)

I know my parents dont use reddit but thank you for not giving up on me even though I kept failing!

Edit: Are some singaporeans actually viewing chinese/mother tongue as something so important for a person in society? My teachers as well used to tell me "You need to speak chinese to find job", "everyone speaking chinese you need to speak too to mix in"

It was honestly disheartening to hear when i was younger and it still is looking at the comments

Edit 2: idk what you guys are reading to bring up racial, society and ethnic when all i mentioned was being terrible in early education and dragged down by my mother tongue. I couldnt even try for any JC because of my mother tongue for gods sake