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ENHANCING N(A): STRONGER FOUNDATIONS FOR POST SECONDARY EDUCATION

(A)       Refinement of Promotion Criteria to Sec 5N for better alignment with Polytechnic Admission Criteria

To better prepare students for progression to post-secondary education, MOE will better align the promotion criteria for N(A) students’ promotion from Sec 4N to Sec 5N with the admission requirements to the polytechnics.

Currently, the criteria for promoting the N(A) students to Sec 5N  comprise a pass in English Language (EL) and the aggregate score of their best 3 subjects at the ‘N’ level examinations.  MOE will introduce the following refinements:

(a) Include both EL and Mathematics as compulsory subjects for computation in the aggregate score; and

(b) Increase the number of subjects to be included in the aggregate score to 5.

The changes will align the promotion criteria with the admission requirements to the polytechnics which likewise include 5 subjects in the computation of the aggregate score.  EL and Mathematics are also required for most of the polytechnic courses.  The refined promotion criteria will apply to the 2009 Sec 4N(A) cohort onwards.  Please refer to the table below.

Currently, 78% of Sec 4N students go on to Sec 5N after sitting for their ‘N’ levels. However, only 60% of Sec 5N students do well enough at their ‘O’ levels to be eligible for admission to the polytechnics.  Hence, amongst the Sec 4N cohort, slightly less than half (48%) are eventually eligible for the polytechnics. With the refinement in promotion criteria to Sec 5N, MOE anticipates that more students will be motivated earlier in their secondary years, before they enter Sec 5N, in their studies aimed at progressing to the polytechnics.

(B)        An Additional Pathway for Sec 4N(A) Graduates to ITE

Students who do well enough in their ‘N’ levels to meet the revised criteria for progression to Sec 5N (EL-Maths-B3 ≤ 19) will be given the additional option of enrolling in a new curriculum track comprising direct entry to Higher Nitec courses at the ITE.  With this option, the students can start their Higher Nitec studies a year earlier, compared to the current situation where N(A) students have to sit for their ‘O’ level examinations first before being eligible for Higher Nitec courses. Annex B illustrates the possible pathways for Sec 4 N(A) students.

The ITE will pilot the new curriculum track starting from 2008, for qualifying students from the 2007 Sec 4 N(A) cohort.

N(A) students admitted into the new curriculum track will go through a  ten-week preparatory course. This will comprise relevant topics focussing on mathematical concepts and scientific principles required for the Higher Nitec curriculum.  Oral and written communication skills will also be emphasised in the preparatory course to strengthen students’ literary skills.
 
(C)        Sec 4N(A) Students Allowed to Offer More than Two ‘O’ level Subjects

Since 2004, N(A) students have been allowed to offer up to two ‘O’ level subjects at Sec 4N(A), when they also sit for their ‘N’ level examinations. These ‘O’ level subjects are in addition to the ‘N’ level subjects they are already taking.

The cap of two ‘O’ level subjects was aimed at ensuring that N(A) students could cope well with both their ‘N’ level and ‘O’ level subjects. Over the past 3 years, 90% of the Sec 4N(A) students who took ‘O’ level subjects passed the examinations, with over 25% of these students scoring distinctions.

Starting with the 2009 Sec 4N(A) cohort, MOE will lift the cap on the number of ‘O’ level subjects N(A) students can offer at Sec 4N(A). Schools will continue to have the flexibility and discretion in assessing the suitability of students to take up these options and the number of ‘O’ level subjects these students can offer.

In addition, schools are also encouraged to adopt a more customised approach towards the teaching of N(A) students, by allowing students who are strong in specific subjects to offer these subjects at the Express Course level from Sec 1 onwards.  This will allow students to be stretched in their areas of strengths, and will better prepare them for post-secondary education.
 

BRINGING NEW APPROACHES INTO N(T)

(A)        N(T) Mark II Schools

In recent years, several initiatives have been introduced to better engage the N(T) students who prefer a more practice-oriented approach towards learning. Schools have been customising their programmes and developing new practices to enhance the quality of learning and engagement for their N(T) students.

To further develop excellence in teaching N(T) students, Bedok Town Secondary, Shuqun Secondary and Si Ling Secondary will pilot new variants of the N(T) programme that build on their existing efforts. These “N(T) Mark II” schools will partner ITE and be supported by MOE to develop their own curricular offerings and programmes. The collaboration will involve the following initiatives:

a.      The three schools will offer new N(T) subjects which have greater emphasis on practice-based learning. The new subjects will be piloted in the three schools at Sec 3 from 2009 onwards. Unlike current elective modules, the new subjects will also be reflected in the students’ GCE ‘N’ level Examination Certificates and be recognised for admission into the ITE.  The new N(T) subjects being explored include  Mechatronics & Robotics, Electrical Technology & Applications, Computer Networking, as well as Business and Health Science.

b.      The schools will also offer a larger number and variety of Elective Modules. Some of these modules could eventually be developed to form new N(T)-level subjects.

c.      The schools will allow their students to take a mix of the new N(T) subjects and existing subjects.  For instance, students could offer three existing N(T) subjects (such as the core subjects of English Language, Mathematics and Mother Tongue Language), and two of the new N(T) subjects.

d.      In collaboration with the ITE, the schools will further customise the teaching of existing N(T) subjects, such as Mathematics, to bring about a greater focus on practice-oriented skills and approaches.

e.      Students will be given opportunity to do industrial attachments and internships, as an integral part of the schools’ N(T) programmes. They will also have attachment opportunities in ITE.

(B)     Secondment of ITE Lecturers to Secondary Schools

To promote the cross-fertilisation of ideas and teaching strategies, MOE will pilot a scheme in 2008 to second ITE lecturers[3] to the three N(T) Mark II schools.

These seconded ITE lecturers will be deployed to teach the new N(T) subjects. In addition, they will work with the teachers to customise the existing N(T) subjects and develop practice-oriented enrichment programmes  that will enrich the schooling experiences of the N(T) students. The ITE lecturers would also have industrial experiences and networks that the schools can tap on.

 

[1] Students in the Normal (Academic) Course comprise about 25% of each Sec 1 cohort, while students in the Normal (Technical) Course comprise about 15% of each Sec 1 cohort.

[2] EMs and AEMs are optional modules offered to students to develop their interests and strengths in specific areas. These modules introduce students to a course of study in post-secondary education institutes (PSEIs) and expose them to possible career paths, giving them the opportunity to experience practice-oriented learning in fields as diverse as digital media and entrepreneurship. Schools can develop EMs in collaboration with PSEIs like ITE and the polytechnics or external agencies. The AEMs are developed and conducted by the polytechnics.

[3] The ITE will be boosting its overall recruitment of lecturers to cater to its increased involvement in our schools under the secondment framework.

Source: www.moe.gov.sg Press Release 2 October 2007

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