Applications open for expanded Direct School Admission exercise for secondary schools

SINGAPORE — Students who wish to apply to secondary schools and junior colleges via the Direct School Admission (DSA) scheme may do so from Monday (May 7), according to the Education Ministry (MOE).

All secondary schools will be able to admit up to 20 per cent of their non-Integrated Programme Secondary 1 intake via the DSA from this year.

This is an increase from the previous 5 per cent cap for schools with distinctive programmes, and 10 per cent cap for autonomous schools. Independent schools already have a 20 per cent limit.

The changes were announced by the MOE at its Committee of Supply debate last year, following a year-long review of the scheme, which allows students to gain direct entry to secondary schools or junior colleges based on their talents and achievements in non-academic areas such as sports and the arts.

As part of the changes, this year's DSA exercise will do away with general academic ability tests for secondary school students.

"This means that secondary schools will focus on identifying students with specific academic talents, instead of those with general academic abilities," the MOE said in a statement on Monday.

Some 143 secondary schools and 18 junior colleges are participating in this year's DSA exercise.

Those applying via the DSA into secondary schools or junior colleges will still need to sit for their Primary School Leaving Examinations, or the GCE O-Level examinations.

"Students are encouraged to check the MOE DSA-Sec website and the MOE DSA-JC website for important dates and timelines, and to find out how the exercises will be conducted," the MOE said.

Separately, the Early Admissions Exercise for the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and polytechnics will commence in May and June, respectively, the ministry added.

The ITE Early Admissions Exercise will be open to graduating GCE N- and O-Level students, for early admission into ITE Nitec and Higher Nitec courses.

Successful applicants will be given conditional offers, and will be accepted if they meet the minimum entry requirements.

Similarly, for the polytechnics' Early Admissions Exercise, graduating GCE O-Level and ITE students can apply to all five polytechnics.

They will also be given conditional offers, but must meet the minimum entry requirements before being accepted into the courses.