School and University Admissions | Singapore Maths Tuition

Part-time students in universities and polytechnics on bursaries will pay lower tuition fees from next year

December 23, 2019 by Maths Statistics Science Tutor

23 December 2019

Part-time students in universities and polytechnics on bursaries will pay lower tuition fees from next year.

Students coming from households in the bottom-income group, that is, whose gross monthly household income is $4,000 or less, or monthly household income per capita is $1,000 or less, will also get more financial support.

The bursary for part-timers will also be known as the Higher Education Bursary from next year “to better reflect its intended purpose”, said the Ministry of Education.

The aim is to “enhance the affordability of higher education for part-time students studying at publicly funded post-secondary education institutions”, MOE added.

New and existing Singaporean students enrolled in publicly-funded part-time courses at all five polytechnics and the autonomous universities that offer such programmes are eligible for the financial support. Around 21,000 undergraduates and 33,000 polytechnic students are expected to benefit from the bursaries

More students from the Normal stream in Secondary School qualify for entrance into universities and local polytechnics

January 5, 2019 by Maths Statistics Science Tutor

06 January 2019

There are now more students from the Normal streams in secondary school who are able to qualify for entrance into the polytechnics and into universities.

According to the Ministry of Education, more than 10 per cent of Secondary 1 Normal (Academic) students move on to publicly funded universities.

More than 20 per cent of students in the Normal (Technical) stream have made it to at least polytechnic diploma courses.

Five in 100 students who graduated from polytechnics between 2015 and last year were from the N(T) stream. For students from the N(A) stream, they made up 35 per cent of those finishing with a diploma, and 5 per cent with a degree.

Ministry of Education decisively ramps up aptitude-based admissions for institutions of higher learning

December 28, 2018 by Maths Statistics Science Tutor

28 December 2018

The Ministry of Education has decisively implemented aptitude-based admissions for institutions of higher learning in Singapore.

Three autonomous universities – Nanyang Technological University, National University of Singapore and Singapore Management University – will raise the intake of students through their discretionary admission exercises from 10 per cent to 15 per cent.

The intake of students entering polytechnics through the Early Admissions Exercise has also been increased to 15 per cent for this year’s academic intake.

More students can now gain early admission into the Institute of Technical Education based on their talents and interests, as the courses will no longer have a cap limiting the number of students admitted through this processs.

The Ministry believes that switching to aptitude-based admission schemes and programmes will encourage Singaporeans to build on their unique strengths instead of chasing after grades and qualifications.

Polytechnics can now admit adult students through new scheme that takes into account work experience

December 21, 2018 by Maths Statistics Science Tutor

21 December 2018

Adults can now apply to polytechnics for full-time studies under a new scheme that takes into account their job experience.

Even if their academic grades fall short of officially published standards, working adults can still show that they have the specified skill sets for their chosen courses through supplementary assessments administered by the polytechnics.

Polytechnics will use a combination of of interviews and other methods of assessment to evaluate work experience and performance.

For example, working adults applying to Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s infocomm and digital technologies courses may be assessed on logic and computational thinking, as well as general coding competencies.

Working adults generally need at least two years of work experience before applying, and will be required submit employment records and employer recommendations.

More students from Normal stream qualify for higher education in Singapore

December 18, 2018 by Maths Statistics Science Tutor

18 December 2018

More students from the Normal streams in secondary school have qualified for entry into publicly funded universities as well as polytechnic diploma courses.

The Ministry of Education said that streaming has helped students learn at a pace suited for them because educators are able to customize their teaching and learning approaches for the benefit of these students.

This has led to better educational outcomes and a lower attrition rate.

Most observers and educators said Singapore’s decades-old method of streaming has benefited students, but the problem is the social stigma attached to those on the Normal streaming path.

A spokesman for MOE said: “Contrary to the misperception that streaming at the secondary school level limits the academic progression of certain groups of students, evidence has shown that a great majority of students have actually been able to continue with post-secondary education, and their further progression is not limited by the stream they started with.”

St Joseph’s Institution includes innovation, leadership, visual arts and music through the Direct School Admission scheme

December 6, 2018 by Maths Statistics Science Tutor

06 December 2018

St Joseph’s Institution has included innovation, leadership, visual arts and music through the Direct School Admission (DSA) scheme last year, in line with changes to better recognise students’ non-academic talent.

SJI has also scrapped the academic category of the DSA selection process, which previously allowed pupils with just good grades to apply to the school.

SJI offers both the O-level track and the Integrated Programme (IP), which leads to the International Baccalaureate after six years.

Its principal Adrian Danker said that SJI wants to set aside places for pupils who are talented in areas other than mere academics. Pupils applying through innovation are given tasks, and teachers will look out for traits such as creativity and the ability to work in teams, he said.

Singapore polytechnics to take into account job experience of working adults who apply for full-time diploma courses

July 10, 2018 by Maths Statistics Science Tutor

10 July 2018

Starting next year, Singapore polytechnics will take into account the job experience of working adults who apply for full-time diploma courses.

Currently, only part-time courses which give credit to work experience, while admission to full-time programmes is based only on academic results.

Polytechnics will also pay more attention to the use of interviews and other methods of assessment to evaluate work experience and performance.

From academic year 2020, working adults will also be able to apply to polytechnics via the Early Admissions Exercise.

Working adults who do not meet the minimum entry requirements will be given an opportunity to show they have certain required skillsets for their chosen course through supplementary assessments.

All Singapore schools will employ career counsellors

November 1, 2017 by Maths Statistics Science Tutor

01 November 2017

In Singapore, all MOE secondary schools, junior colleges and post-secondary education institutions will employ education and career guidance counsellors who will support students in making career choices.

These counsellors will be trained in career facilitation and counselling skills, and able to help students explore their strengths and interests.

Mr Wong Siew Hoong, MOE’s director-general of education, urging counsellors to support teachers in shaping students’ understanding of the changing world of work.

All three Institute of Technical Education colleges and the five polytechnics currently have six permanent counsellors each, while the counsellors for MOE schools are deployed on a roving arrangement.

These counsellors typically undergo 120 hours of training in career development facilitation and another six months in counselling skills. They will also be working closely with industry partners to plan programmes for students, such as career fairs, talks and workshops.