Students on ITE fast-track doing well

THE first group of Normal (Academic) students to enrol in a fast-track programme are making good progress.

All 358 students are studying in a new way that allows them to advance from Secondary 4 to a higher-level Institute of Technical Education (ITE) course.

In January this year, 377 Normal (Academic) students enrolled in 19 Higher National ITE Certificate (Nitec) courses ranging from engineering to hospitality to business. Previously, the courses were open only to those with O- level qualifications.

To qualify, Normal (Academic) students must score 19 points or fewer for English, Maths and three of their best subjects in their N-level examinations. They also need to score at least a Grade 4 in English and Maths.

An ITE spokesman said 5 per cent, or about 20, of the original intake of students dropped out because they had found jobs or had decided to pursue other study options.

He said all remaining students have completed one semester and have done well enough to go on to the next semester, which starts next month.

Some of the fast-track students whom The Straits Times spoke to urged Normal (Academic) students who received their N-level results yesterday to apply for the Higher Nitec courses.

The students said Normal-stream students should be 'realistic' about how they will perform in their O levels.

About 40 per cent of Normal stream students do not do well enough to make it to a polytechnic.

'If you can't make it to the polys after sitting for the O levels, you will have to come to ITE anyway,' said Muhammad Farhan Mohd Idros, 17, a fast-track student enrolled in the Higher Nitec course in mechanical engineering at ITE College East at Simei. 'Why not cut down one year of study and come here directly after you receive your N-level results?'

His classmate, Loo Jun Yuan, 17, added: 'The difference in standards in N-level and O-level subjects is very big.

'Students have less than a year to prepare for the O levels. If you come to ITE, you also stand a good chance to get into the polys after that.'

Higher Nitec students can advance to a polytechnic like their Sec 5 peers. Those who do well can also enter the second year of some polytechnic courses.

While the option of skipping the O levels and getting a certificate in a shorter period of time seems attractive, it has been a controversial issue.

Earlier this year, a principal drew ire from parents and the public when she advised a class of Sec 5 students to transfer to the ITE before they sat for the O-level examinations.

She pointed out that their grades would not allow them to advance to the polytechnics.

Parents of the students in the class said the principal's words punctured their children's self- confidence.

'It is natural for parents to want the best for their children,' said Dr Ricky Tam, principal of ITE College East, who has 138 students in the fast-track programme in his school.

However, students and their parents have to be realistic about their learning abilities and also understand what kind of teaching style suits them, he said.

'I hope the good performance of the first batch of students will encourage others to consider this programme as another route for them to further their studies,' he added.

Fast-track students said their time at the ITE has renewed their self- confidence. For the first time, they are getting good grades in school.

Muhammad Farhan and classmate Jun Yuan received a perfect Grade Point Average of 4.0 in this year's examinations.

Goh Pei Qi, 17, who is enrolled in the Higher Nitec course in Business Studies (Event Management) at ITE College Central in Bishan, said she now knows what she wants as a career.

'After organising school events as part of the course, I realised I like planning and managing events,' she said. 'I hope to study events management at the Singapore Polytechnic when I graduate and become an events planner.'