The Ministry of Education (MOE) will review the intake allowance for polytechnics under the Early Admissions Exercise (EAE) as there is an increase in number of students set to enter polytechnics next year through aptitude-based admission.
The scheme allows schools to admit students based on their skills and talents apart from grades and it currently has a 15 per cent intake allowance guideline, though polytechnics have the discretion to vary their intake accordingly.
Speaking at the Singapore International Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Conference, Minister for Education Ong Ye Kung stated on Wednesday (3 October) that the Polytechnics received a record number of EAE applicants at 13,900, 13 percent higher than last year for Admission Year 2019.
The minister noted that the more popular courses include Early Childhood, Nursing and Hospitality.
Mr Ong then said that the Polytechnics made 6,250 offers, 14 percent higher than last year – also a record high. The expected final enrolment through EAE should be about 4,600, which is close to 20 percent of the total admissions.
“This is an encouraging development in our efforts to match interest and talent to the course of study,” he said.
The minister also stated that the scheme was first introduced in 2016, saying, “which happens before the main admission exercise in our Polytechnics, to admit students not just based on their academic grades in secondary school, but also their aptitudes, interest and talents in the chosen course of study.”
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines, Mr Ong stated that it is an encouraging development in the country’s efforts to match interest, talent and course of study.
He then stated that from an initial intake guideline of just 2.5 per cent, the ministry raised the figure to 12.5 per cent for last year’s batch, before increasing it further to 15 per cent for this year’s intake.
The minister then noted that the EAE was started as a pilot project, saying, “We have to see what is the demand, how do we administer and over time look at it year by year.”
