Summarized from ST
17 February 2015
Anglo-Chinese School (ACS) (International), St Joseph’s Institution (SJI) International and Hwa Chong International School have expanded their facilities in recent years to take in more students. Yet, the demand for places, especially from Singaporeans, keeps growing, despite annual fees of more than $20,000.
The three schools are privately funded but are under the Ministry of Education. This means they follow the bilingual education policy, but can design their own curricula and set class sizes and fees. Fourth-year students take the International General Certificate of Secondary Education exam, similar to the O levels, and then study for the two-year International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma.
When the Government gave the go-ahead in 2004 for ACS, SJI and Hwa Chong to open international arms, there were doubts on whether Singaporeans would want to enrol their children. Officials from the schools said the rapid growth is the result of the established brand names and different curricula, particularly the IB programme, which is becoming popular among parents.
ACS (International) chairman Tan Wah Thong said the school is at its maximum size, but parents from Singapore and elsewhere are still asking to enrol their children. He said the school will have to look at other locations to expand. “The ACS name is a draw, but because we have no streaming and allow all students to move up to JC to take the IB exams, it is attractive to parents,” said Mr Tan.
Shop manager Esther Tay, who hopes to send her son to SJI International next year, said he suffers from exam anxiety despite doing well academically. “A school that does not stream students will suit him better. I was shocked when I saw the fees, but in the end I decided they would be worth it if my son is going to be happier.”
sandra@sph.com.sg