1,100 applied for Polytechnic Foundation Programme last year
SINGAPORE — About 1,100 Normal (Academic) graduates applied for the year-long polytechnic foundation course last year, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said yesterday.
SINGAPORE — About 1,100 Normal (Academic) graduates applied for the year-long polytechnic foundation course last year, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said yesterday.
The Polytechnic Foundation Programme, which is open to applications from the top 10 per cent of N(A) graduates, admitted eight out of 10 applicants last year for its first intake. The programme is one of two options allowing N(A) students to skip the traditional route of taking the O-Levels at Secondary 5, and offers a practice-oriented curriculum taught by polytechnic lecturers. Pupils can continue the polytechnic education if they meet academic requirements.
The other option, the Direct-Entry-Scheme into Polytechnic Programme, received 1,300 applications. About three-quarters of applicants were admitted into this scheme, where students can start a two-year Higher Nitec course at Institutes of Technical Education (ITEs). Pupils can also continue pursuing similar courses at the polytechnics if they fulfil academic requirements.
Yesterday saw the release of the N-Level results for those who sat for the exam this year. Out of 12,419 N(A) students, 99.5 per cent passed at least one subject and obtained the N(A) level certificate. About 73 per cent were eligible to proceed into Sec 5.
Around 98 per cent out of 5,510 Normal (Technical) students passed at least one subject and were awarded the N(T) level certificate. This year’s showing was similar to that of previous years.
Next year, 180 N(T) students will take part in the new extended three-year Nitec course at ITE. Instead of the usual two-year Nitec programme, those with none or one N-Level subject pass will undergo two years of foundation training before progressing onto the core curriculum in the third year.
The course was introduced to help selected students from the N(T) stream develop the necessary literacy and numeracy skills to enable them to complete their Nitec courses.
NG JING YNG