More on the JC single intake

Source: http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2008/08/single-intake-for-junior-colle.php

Single Intake for Junior Colleges and Millennia Institute from 2009

1Starting from 2009, all Junior Colleges (JC) and the Millennia Institute (MI) will start the school term for Year 1 students with a single intake in end January/early February, and the Year 2 students in the 2nd week of January. Specifically for 2009, Year 1 students will start school on 2 February and Year 2 students on 12 January.

2A single intake system will facilitate a stronger educational programming in these schools where all students would start their course of study together. It obviates the need for the two admission exercises and the turn-over of students due to the two intakes (see background). In addition, it will also reduce the waiting time for some ‘O’ level graduates, who might otherwise need to wait for three months before entering JCs/MI.

3JCs and MI will continue to share between 10 and 12 common weeks of school holidays with the primary and secondary schools (see 2009 School Terms and Holidays webpage). The common holiday periods of 1 week each in March and September, 4 weeks in Jun and the remaining weeks at the end of the year, will enable families with children studying in different educational levels to spend time together.

4To make the single-intake possible, the following changes will take place from 2009:

1. The ‘O’ level results, which are currently released in late January, will be released in early January; and
2. The posting results from the Joint Admissions Exercise, currently released in mid-February, will be released in end January.

5The revised school calendars for JCs and MI, based on a single intake in early February of 2009, are on the 2009 School Terms and Holidays webpage.

Background

6Currently, there are two JC/MI intakes: one in January that is based on school preliminary examination results, and another in March based on ‘O’ level results. The two-intake situation gives rise to “churning” of students inJCs and MI in March, as quite a number of JC students chooses to switch courses or colleges after receiving the ‘O’ level results. The students in the second intake, who have not attended the pre-university course in the first 3 months, might also have difficulties in catching up with the ‘A’ level curriculum. In addition, some students who failed to meet the criteria to enter the JC/MI after the release of ‘O’ level results, faced disappointment when they have to leave after 3 months.

7The revision of JC and MI calendars was one of the recommendations of the JC / Upper Secondary Education Review Committee in October 2002.

8This change from the current two-intake system is made possible as the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board has taken greater control of the GCE ‘O’ level examinations since 2006. In addition, MOE has streamlined the processes for the ‘O’ level examinations and Joint Admissions Exercise, conducted after the release of the ‘O’ level results for students to select courses in JCs, MI, polytechnics and ITE.