School and University Admission System | Singapore Maths Tuition

Changes to secondary school selection and tie breaking procedure

December 2, 2020 by Maths Statistics Science Tutor

02 December 2020

From next year, students taking the Primary School Leaving Examination will no longer see a T-score figure on their slips, but instead, they will be scored using eight bands known as Achievement Levels.

The indicative AL cut-offs for individual secondary schools will be released in the first half of next year, based on the results and school choices of this year’s PSLE cohort.

There will be some changes to the posting system and how ties will be broken if pupils have the same score.

Singapore citizens will continue get priority, followed by permanent residents and then international students, as per the usual practice.

The choice order of schools will also play a more significant role. A pupil who indicates a school as his or her first choice will now get a place ahead of someone else with the same score but indicates it as a second or third choice.

Strides made by National University of Singapore in embracing multidisciplinary learning

October 15, 2020 by Maths Statistics Science Tutor

15 October 2020

The National University of Singapore plans to merge its Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and Faculty of Science to form a new College of Humanities and Sciences.

Students enrolled in the new college will take modules in different disciplines across the humanities, social sciences, science and mathematics. They will be provided with greater flexibility in taking up modules offered by both faculties.

Separately, NUS will offer 10 cross-disciplinary degree programmes from August next year to leverage synergies between complementary disciplines. Some possible pairings of complementary disciplines include economics and data science, computing and project management, as well as engineering and business.

To graduate, a student will need to complete 160 modular credits, the same requirement as that for a four-year Bachelor with Honours degree programme. This comprises 40 credits covering the fundamentals for each of the two majors, 20 credits on integrative projects involving both majors, 20 credits on general education, and 40 credits on unrestricted electives in any discipline.

National University of Singapore to establish a new College of Humanities and Sciences

October 7, 2020 by Maths Statistics Science Tutor

07 October 2020

The National University of Singapore has announced preliminary plans to set up a new college for students admitted to the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Science.

Students admitted to the proposed new College of Humanities and Sciences would belong to both faculties and could take up any major and minor programmes offered in the two faculties.

They will have to enrol in 13 modules of common curriculum classes in the initial semesters, making up a third of their four-year education. These include new modules in artificial intelligence, design thinking as well as interdisciplinary modules on integrated social sciences and scientific inquiry to be developed by the college.

The university plans to admit its first cohort of 2,500 students into the college by as early as the next academic year. These students will be able to choose from a four-year honours degree programme in either the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Social Sciences or Bachelor of Science.

It is hoped that over time, the curriculum offered by NUS will become more broad-based and flexible, allowing students to take up classes from different disciplines.

Students returning from abroad can start applying for admission under the School Placement Exercise for Returning Singaporeans scheme

July 16, 2020 by Maths Statistics Science Tutor

16 July 2020

Singaporean students returning from overseas who plan to enrol in secondary schools or junior colleges here next year can start sending in their applications to the Ministry of Education.

They will apply under the School Placement Exercise for Returning Singaporeans (Spers) scheme, which comprises of a set of centralised tests for Singaporean students seeking admission into a local school after having lived or studied abroad.

The tests for those seeking admission to Secondary 1 to 3 will be held from Sept 22 to 24, while the tests for Pre-University 1 will be held on Nov 12. No tests will be conducted for students at the Secondary 4 and Pre-University 2 levels, as these are national examination years.

Applicants will receive their school placement results in December and will be able to join their school at the start of the first school term next year.

“MOE would encourage (returning Singaporean) children who are seeking a place in any suitable school near their Singapore residence to make use of MOE’s Assured School Placement service,” said a ministry spokesman. The Assured School Placement service secures admission for returning Singaporean children into a school with vacancies near their residence before they return. Students who make use of this service do not have to sit any centralised tests.

Singapore’s six government-funded universities are increasing the number of available slots for prospective students

July 10, 2020 by Maths Statistics Science Tutor

10 July 2020

Singapore’s six government-funded universities are offering around 2,000 more places to prospective students this year.

Some of the offers will go to Singaporeans whose overseas study plans have to be put on hold because of the global human malware situation. Local universities held a second admissions exercise in May to cater to this group of students.

Other spots have also been allocated to polytechnic diploma holders who had previously intended to join the workforce but are now opting to further their studies because of the weak job market.

Because of the additional effort made their year to increase the number of university places, the Ministry of Education said it expects the cohort participation rate (CPR) to increase slightly this year, by up to 2 percentage points, from the originally planned 40 per cent.

The MOE said that Singaporean students who are midway through their degree studies overseas, but who now wish to switch to studying locally, can write directly to the autonomous universities. Their applications will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. This includes a review of whether credit transfers can be granted.

Some students have indicated that they are planning to defer their studies by three to six months. They can sign up for continuing education and training modular courses offered by the universities during this period.

Government cannot make attendance at school voluntary

May 28, 2020 by Maths Statistics Science Tutor

28 May 2020

The Government cannot make attendance at school voluntary because that would not be good for the morale of both students and teachers, said Education Minister Ong Ye Kung.

Mr Ong said in a Facebook post that that exceptions to compulsory school attendance can only be made for concerns arising from medical conditions.

From June, graduating students will resume classes on weekdays. Students in other cohorts will rotate weekly between home-based learning and returning to school for lessons.

A voluntary system would only serve to segregate students according to those whose families are able to provide care for them at home, and those who are not, Mr Ong said.

Teachers will end up having to juggle between classroom teaching and facilitating home-based learning for every lesson, which is not sustainable.

Fewer tangible measures in this year’s Direct School Admission exercise

May 26, 2020 by Maths Statistics Science Tutor

26 May 2020

Schools participating in the Direct School Admission exercise this year will do all interviews and selection for shortlisted candidates via electronic modes (e-modes). This policy has raised concerns whether the exercise will remain fair.

Schools will strive to select students with potential, “exemplary character and desirable personal qualities, such as the ability to thrive amidst adversity”, even without competition placements, said a Ministry of Education spokesman.

A total of 146 secondary schools and 20 junior colleges are taking part in this year’s exercise, which started on May 12.

To ensure fairness in the selection process, the e-modes will be conducted at the applicants’ schools. School staff will also be present to provide technical support where necessary.

All schools look at a range of skills and attributes when shortlisting students. Schools will continue to reach out to students from less advantaged backgrounds, including those with little or no prior training or formal certification, to ensure that they are aware of the support available, and encourage those with talent and potential to apply for suitable DSA schools.

ITE and polytechnics to conduct early admissions exercises online

May 20, 2020 by Maths Statistics Science Tutor

20 May 2020

The Institute of Technical Education as well as Singapore’s five polytechnics will conduct selections for the Early Admissions Exercise (EAE) online for the large majority of courses.

Graduating N-and O-level students can apply for early admission to ITE Nitec and Higher Nitec courses respectively, from May 27 to June 3. For polytechnic courses, final-year ITE students can apply from June 11 to 17, while graduating O-level students can apply from June 25 to July 1.

The EAE allows students to gain conditional admission to a course based on their aptitude and talent, even if they have yet to attempt their qualifying final examinations.

Students may have to submit portfolios, undergo interviews and take aptitude tests as part of the selection process.

Institutions implementing EAE this year will use electronic means such as online interviews or portfolio submissions over e-mail where feasible. However, on-campus selection will still be needed for some courses.