They are giving away 8GB iPod Nano music players and beefcake calendars, and using celebrities to draw attention.
The competition is so intense that you would think they are shopping malls instead of polytechnics.
| 'I had no qualms about posing semi- naked... I know I have a good body so I don't mind' Vincent Cai, one of the student models in Republic Polytechnic's online calendar visit it REPUBLIC POLYTECHNIC Where: 9 Woodlands Avenue 9 When: Today and Saturday, 10am to 6pm SINGAPORE POLYTECHNIC Where: 500 Dover Road When: Tomorrow till Saturday, 10am to 6pm |
Singapore's five polytechnics are holding their open house concurrently from today till Saturday.
Republic Polytechnic has published an online calendar featuring its attractive male students from various sports clubs. It is available for download to all who attend and register at its open house.
The calendar contains black-and-white photos of the students in sports such as canoeing, swimming and muay thai. Most of the calendar boys are photographed topless.
Vincent Cai, also know as Mr October, posed in only a pair of swim trunks. Said the 19-year-old, who is pursuing a diploma in sports and exercise sciences: 'I had no qualms about posing semi- naked. Actually, I was quite enthusiastic. I know I have a good body so I don't mind. I am proud and flattered that I can do this for my school.'
Instead of sex appeal, other schools are turning to star power to reel in teens to attend their open house.
Nanyang Polytechnic will be inviting Singapore Idol Taufik Batisah to perform songs from his latest album and sign autographs tomorrow, while Ngee Ann Polytechnic is featuring Campus Superstar finalists and MediaCorp artists Pornsak and Felicia Chin on Saturday.
Republic Polytechnic has also invited radio DJ Jean Danker to appear today and Thai actor-host Utt on Saturday.
Says Republic's corporate communications officer Benjamin Chow: 'Celebrities help pull students and the public to the campus for the open house.'
A spokesman for Nanyang Polytechnic agrees: 'Celebrities are a very big draw.'
For Singapore Polytechnic, it hopes the good old-fashioned appeal of a freebie will do the trick. It is giving away an iPod Nano to the person who sends out the most number of e-cards from its official website to potential students. The aim: create awareness and entice them to visit the polytechnic during the open house.
Mr Chow of Republic Polytechnic reveals that all five schools agreed to spend a total of $250,000 for joint publicity to promote the enrolment drive.
But they will not reveal how much each of them are spending on their own on open house activities.
Are the polytechnics' efforts paying off in terms of attracting potential students? Maybe not.
Says Ian Ee, 16, who took his O-level examinations last year at Guangyang Secondary: 'The additional attractions do not entice me as much. I am more interested in the curriculum than the celebrities.'
Ex-Anderson Secondary student Siti Mariam Amir, also 16, shares the same opinion. She says the additional attractions make the open house more interesting, 'but in the end, I would apply for the polytechnic for the courses it has'.
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