2019 school mergers
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2019 school mergers: 7 things to know
The Ministry of Education (MOE) announced on Thursday (April 20) that 28 schools will be merged in 2019, in the latest response to the shrinking number of students.
For the first time, junior colleges will be affected.
Here is what you need to know on the mergers:
1. WHY MERGE?
Falling birth rates. From 50,000 in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the number of children being born has dropped to 37,000.
This means falling enrollment at schools, with the impact first felt in primary schools, then secondary and now at junior college level. As estates mature, there will also be less need for Primary 1 places.
Falling enrolment means less popular schools are less able to provide a wider variety of programmes and co-curricular activities, as they lack the critical mass needed.
2. HOW WERE THE SCHOOLS SELECTED?
Location and enrolment were the decisive factors for primary and secondary schools.
JCs were paired based on their location, to ensure a spread of JCs across the island .
3. WHEN WILL THE MERGERS HAPPEN?
The mergers will take place in 2019. To minimise the need for students to relocate, Serangoon, Innova, Tampines and Jurong junior colleges will not take in new students next year.
4. WILL THERE BE ENOUGH JC PLACES FROM NEXT YEAR?
MOE has given the assurance that all students who qualify for JC will have a place.
5. WHAT WILL THE MERGED SCHOOLS BE NAMED?
This will be announced at a later date.
6. HOW WILL THE HISTORY OF THE SCHOOLS SET TO MOVE BE PRESERVED?
There will be a heritage space in the merged school.
7. WHAT ABOUT TEACHERS?
There will be no retrenchment. Instead they will either go to the merged school, or be redeployed to other schools or to MOE headquarters.
Some may end up teaching at a different level, such as moving from a JC to a secondary schools.
MOE will ensure that these teachers get the training needed.
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4 pairs of JCs to merge as student numbers shrink; 14 primary and 6 secondary schools also affected
In the latest response to the shrinking number of students, 14 pairs of schools will be merged in 2019 - and for the first time this includes junior colleges.
Serangoon, Tampines, Innova and Jurong JCs will move into Anderson, Meridian, Yishun and Pioneer respectively, cutting the number of JCs from 23 to 19. Seven pairs of primary schools and three pairs of secondary schools will also be merged in what is the biggest merger exercise in two decades.
The Education Ministry (MOE) explained that it needed to merge schools due to Singapore's declining birth rate. It said in the case of a few JCs involved in this merger exercise, the intakes could fall to as low as 200 or 300 over the next few years.
In the late-eighties to early-nineties, there were around 50,000 births each year. But between 1993 and 2002, this fell about 20 per cent from about 49,000 to 39,000. JC intake is now expected to drop by a fifth, going from 16,000 in 2010 to 12,800 in 2019.
But the ministry gave the assurance that despite the mergers, there will be space for every student who qualifies for JC. MOE also stressed that no teachers will lose their jobs. Those affected will join the merged schools with their bigger cohort of students, or be redeployed to other schools or the ministry headquarters.
To minimise the impact on students, the four junior colleges which will fold into others in 2019 will not take in a fresh cohort of JC1 students next year (2018). This means students will not have to move in 2019, while the current cohort will complete their A-level studies at the same school.
Mindful of the sentiments of the alumni, MOE said the history and heritage of schools which will move will be passed down to future cohorts, and marked at a dedicated heritage space at the merged schools. The names of the merged schools will be announced at a later date.
MOE explained that the schools slated for merger were picked based on various factors on top of falling enrolment. For example, MOE also took into account their location. In the case of JCs it was important to maintain a good spread of such schools across the country. Hence two junior colleges not offering the integrated programme were selected from each region - west, north, north-east and east - to form a merger pair. Accessibility and quality of infrastructure were also considered.
MOE said that unless action was taken, falling cohort numbers might make it unviable for some schools to offer a broader range of educational programmes and co-curricular activities to match varied interests. Siglap Secondary, which was merged with Coral this year, for instance, was unable to continue with its Red Cross unit and badminton CCA due to its decreasing cohort size. Fewer students also mean a less vibrant learning environment.
The mergers will help the school achieve a "critical mass", and increase ways for students to collaborate, and expand their CCA and learning options.
Changes in population demographics across different estates also result in an uneven distribution of students across primary and secondary schools, MOE pointed out.
As Primary 1 demand in mature estates fall, schools have to be merged. But in newer estates, new schools may be needed.
Last year, three new primary schools were opened in Punggol. And to meet the high demand for school places in Sengkang, Fern Green Primary will open next year.
Last year, MOE also announced the merger of 22 secondary schools.
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well.. there is one thing that I am unsure of and had never paid attention in the past merges.
After merging, does the new merged school still open up the original number of quota for new students? Anybody knows? Thanks.
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Concerns over heritage, CCAs as JC students digest news of mergers
SINGAPORE: Rumours of junior colleges merging for the first time were already circulating online, but when it was finally confirmed by the principal at Serangoon Junior College (SRJC) on Thursday (Apr 20), the reaction was immediate.The students erupted in chatter, discussing the implications of the JC moving out of its current site on Upper Serangoon Road and joining forces with Anderson JC. The school’s principal, Mr Manogaran Suppiah, assured them that standards will remain high, and that the culture of the school will be retained, said a JC 1 student, who wanted to be known as Jaime.“Many of us came here because of the school’s caring culture,” she told Channel NewsAsia. However, she was not surprised at the merger. Her class has fewer than 20 students, and the debate team shut down this year for lack of members, she said. Jaime was worried that annual events such as a run and a carnival will no longer continue. The school will merge with Anderson JC in Ang Mo Kio, one of four such mergers announced by the Ministry of Education (MOE) on Thursday (Apr 20). The four JCs that will close - Serangoon, Tampines, Innova and Jurong - will stop taking in JC1 students from next year.Students were given a one-hour break before the principal addressed them. During this break, there was a lot of speculation about what was happening as students noticed photos of their school floating online. They had already figured out then that there was going to be a merger, students told Channel NewsAsia.In a briefing on the merger earlier on Thursday, the MOE said that the history and heritage of the schools will continue to be passed down to future cohorts through a heritage space in the merged schools’ buildings.Another concern at SRJC was the future of co-curricular activities (CCAs). Without JC 2 students, some students expressed concern that some of their groups will be shut down. Others were worried about losing the good reputation of their CCA groups. For instance, SRJC is known for its prowess in rock-climbing.At Jurong Junior College (JJC), rumours had been swirling since the beginning of the year, but students were still surprised about the looming disappearance of the school’s name, which carries with it close to 40 years of history. JJC will be merging with Pioneer JC (PJC).“In the future, we won't be JJ alumni. You kind of lose your home. I’m concerned about this because there's always been a general rivalry (with PJC) when it comes to sports and results because we are so close,” said JC 1 student Rebecca Leong.Fellow student Ang Hua Bin felt differently. He said that if he had known what was going to happen before he joined the school, he may have chosen to go elsewhere.“We just started, and they tell us that this school will close down. It’s demoralising. In the future, I’d technically be from an unrecognised school,” he said.Students from Tampines Junior College (TPJC) were surprised by the news, as there had been no sign at all that a merger was in the pipeline. One student, who did not want to be named, said that there were 20 to 24 students in a class, which is the "standard size".Despite some concerns, there was also some excitement, especially about there being extra space. Jaime said: “The seniors usually monopolise certain areas, so I am glad we won’t have to compete anymore.”JJC student Wong Choon Pin said that while he was sad, he knows that several people were happy that they would have the school to themselves.Badminton player Bryan Teo said that there was a possibility that the schools would have to merge school teams next year. He took it in a positive note. “There'll be good players from both sides. Overall, the team will be better,” he said.- CNA/ja -
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Hi all,
I'm new here and not really sure where can I write my post?? But I really hope you guys can help me out! I'm so stress out!!
I'm currently 16 this years and turning 17 soon. I'm now currently studying in a private institution for my diploma in business. Before u all ask or judge me for going private, I will just briefly tell u why I've made this decision to go to private. Well, I'm from a NT stream back in Sec sch, so I know once I graduated I will most likely get in to ITE which will take me a very Long time to get a diploma.
So one of my Friend told me to take up private diploma as it can be completed in 1 year. At that point of time, I felt that maybe that might be a plan too. So in this year, I went to the private institution instead of ite.
Now I regretted so badly, while studying halfway (4months) I felt that I lose interest in the course I'm studying in which is Business. I always thought that studying in business will actually be good because once you're going out to work you will have good business skill . But now I really think that TAKING A BUSINESS COURSE IS REALLY A WRONG DECISION TO TAKE!! IM ACTUALLY MORE INTO GRAPHIC DESIGN AND NOW IM SO BLANK!!! I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO!! SHOULD I WITHDRAW FROM MY PRIVATE SCHOOL AND APPLY FOR ITE NEXT YEAR?! Or any other ways?!
PLEASE HELP ME PLEASE!! ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ™�ðŸ�»ðŸ™�ðŸ�»
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if relli no interest then dont waste more time
go for what u want
u may take a longer route, but if it takes u to a better place, it's worth it
ps: pls avoid hijacking a thread -
But I don't know how to tell my parent about my decision 😞 Cuz going to a private institution is my choice and my parent allowed me. But what if I tell them that I want to withdraw from my private school , they might be angry at me and I have already wasted my parent money on the first semester 😠So I don't should I tell them my decision 😞
So sorry for posting here!! I really don't know where can I write my post :(
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seek their understanding
im sure if u tell them your thoughts and feelings they will understand
anyway, 1 sem only.......
u wanna waste more time? -
Originally posted by selena123:
But I don't know how to tell my parent about my decision 😞 Cuz going to a private institution is my choice and my parent allowed me. But what if I tell them that I want to withdraw from my private school , they might be angry at me and I have already wasted my parent money on the first semester 😠So I don't should I tell them my decision 😞
So sorry for posting here!! I really don't know where can I write my post :(
There's a "new topic" button near the top right corner of the panel for you to create new threads in this forum.
Perhaps you can tell your parents straight to the point (apologetic tone)
1) that the Business Course wasn't how you expected it to be, and why it wouldn't be useful to you.
2) and make sure to convince them by showing that you have done your research about graphic design and why it suits you so much (your potential talents maybe?).
3) In the meantime while you have dropped out of the private institution, you can find an internship/work that is related to graphic designing.
4) Promise them that you will work hard.
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Originally posted by qdtimes2:
There's a "new topic" button near the top right corner of the panel for you to create new threads in this forum.
Perhaps you can tell your parents straight to the point (apologetic tone)
1) that the Business Course wasn't how you expected it to be, and why it wouldn't be useful to you.
2) and make sure to convince them by showing that you have done your research about graphic design and why it suits you so much (your potential talents maybe?).
3) In the meantime while you have dropped out of the private institution, you can find an internship/work that is related to graphic designing.
4) Promise them that you will work hard.
Provided that the user post more than 10 posts in any forum topic than this 'create button' will appear.
Anyway those previous A-level students should have seen this coming cos in the past, Jurong Insititute and Outram institute has also merged into Millennia Institute, plus our current minister of education want to 'place more emphasis on non-academic learning', not suprise that change like this is inevitable
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Actually, all these mergers already say very long already.
Back then in 2010-2011 they were already discussing which schools to merge.
There will be another round of mergers after this.
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Originally posted by selena123:
Hi all,
I'm new here and not really sure where can I write my post?? But I really hope you guys can help me out! I'm so stress out!!
I'm currently 16 this years and turning 17 soon. I'm now currently studying in a private institution for my diploma in business. Before u all ask or judge me for going private, I will just briefly tell u why I've made this decision to go to private. Well, I'm from a NT stream back in Sec sch, so I know once I graduated I will most likely get in to ITE which will take me a very Long time to get a diploma.
So one of my Friend told me to take up private diploma as it can be completed in 1 year. At that point of time, I felt that maybe that might be a plan too. So in this year, I went to the private institution instead of ite.
Now I regretted so badly, while studying halfway (4months) I felt that I lose interest in the course I'm studying in which is Business. I always thought that studying in business will actually be good because once you're going out to work you will have good business skill . But now I really think that TAKING A BUSINESS COURSE IS REALLY A WRONG DECISION TO TAKE!! IM ACTUALLY MORE INTO GRAPHIC DESIGN AND NOW IM SO BLANK!!! I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO!! SHOULD I WITHDRAW FROM MY PRIVATE SCHOOL AND APPLY FOR ITE NEXT YEAR?! Or any other ways?!
PLEASE HELP ME PLEASE!! ï˜ï˜ï™�ï�»ï™�ï�»
You know, the children in Africa do not have the chance to go to school. By the fact that you can study, you should appreciate what you have and study that course, whether is it design or not...
Anyway, you should really talk to your parents about it. If you can study in our government Polytechnic or ITE, why not? It's cheaper than private, and definitely more recognised.
If money is the concern, you can serve NS first and use the 13 thousand NS allowance to pay back the money spent on private education - if you are a boy. Otherwise, if you are a girl, maybe can consider working, until next year February or April, since this year Poly and ITE admissions closed already.
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I think merging will benefit the future students. Merged schools will have a wider range of subjects to choose from, and given the larger cohort size, students can make more friends with each other.
The variety of CCAs will also increase, giving them a much more enriching school experience :)
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Originally posted by The Code:
Provided that the user post more than 10 posts in any forum topic than this 'create button' will appear.
Anyway those previous A-level students should have seen this coming cos in the past, Jurong Insititute and Outram institute has also merged into Millennia Institute, plus our current minister of education want to 'place more emphasis on non-academic learning', not suprise that change like this is inevitable
To be honest, I'm expecting them to close MI, or merge MI into JJ.
Now that JJ merge into PJ, the entire Jurong area don't have JC already.
Meanwhile, Innova JC is a very popular JC. Unfortunately, it will merge into Yishun JC.
Actually, I wonder why they don't want to go the "other way round" instead, where Yishun merge into Innova, Pioneer merge into Jurong?
Pioneer JC is at one corner of Choa Chu Kang, so inaccessible.
There's more buses from Choa Chu Kang to Woodlands, than from Jurong to Choa Chu Kang.
I don't know what they are thinking.
I understand the logic of merging JCs as the demand is falling.
But, the choice of new site could have been better.
Furthermore, the Innova JC campus is newer than Yishun JC campus, and Innova JC is a choice school for aspiring JC students all over Singapore!
I agree that PJ is more popular and better than JJ... but the location cannot make it la. So far... hopefully LTA can launch a new bus service into that road where PJC is located, and have that bus go all the way to Boon Lay Bus Interchange... or at least amend bus 172... or 180 also...
Hopefully, the PJ site is only temporary, where after a while, they will build a new campus at JJ location and relocate there...
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Originally posted by Lockheed2000:
I think merging will benefit the future students. Merged schools will have a wider range of subjects to choose from, and given the larger cohort size, students can make more friends with each other.
The variety of CCAs will also increase, giving them a much more enriching school experience :)
Duh.
Nowadays, the budget for CCAs and other school programmes is being cut by the ministry because of falling enrolment.
The news also got report that one school had to close its Red Cross chapter, and recently offered that CCA again after it merged with another school.
I agree on the socialising part. Now is time whereby students can actually "study in two schools" "at the same time", if their school is chosen for merger while they are still here... but more importantly, the change in environment may affect their learning... hopefully the ministry has thought about that, and would take measures to ensure a smooth transition for all affected students.
Socialising and making friends should not be the focus... back then when I was in secondary school, I also hardly see students of different streams interact with one another... it's likely that students of different schools will stick to their usual groups after merger, and won't be interested to mix with people from the other school... even if have, also very limited.
Anyway, next time when they go JC, Poly or ITE, they will naturally still get to make new friends and expand their social circle. Not necessarily must be merger than make friends... in fact, I think the impact from change in environment would be greater than the benefit of making friends... but if the ministry can reduce the impact and maximise the benefit, that would be good.
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Now that Singapore is experiencing aging population, I wonder why they still invest heavily on early childhood education, and open Polytechnic courses on that also.
Hopefully, the Polytechnics were aware of the aging population and decling school enrolment, and have been preparing the early childhood students for other things, besides early childhood education jobs.
Otherwise, next time, the government would have a problem providing jobs for early childhood students. Likewise for students at the teachers' training college NIE.
The teaching industry is on the decline. Now with technology and flipped classroom on the rise, there's falling demand for teachers to be physically there.
But, there will always be a place for education institutions though. Otherwise, where are you going to provide the facilities and programmes to inculcate learning?
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JC mergers not due to more choosing polys http://str.sg/4BhS
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By now, it should be obvious that the Polytechnics will also merge. But considering the complexity, they would probably phase out the current cohort of a Polytechnic, before they merge that Polytechnic into another Polytechnic. As such, it would probably not happen until 2021, or beyond.
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Originally posted by gekpohboy:
By now, it should be obvious that the Polytechnics will also merge. But considering the complexity, they would probably phase out the current cohort of a Polytechnic, before they merge that Polytechnic into another Polytechnic. As such, it would probably not happen until 2021, or beyond.
Some polytechnics has already been 'merge' with distance learning universities e.g SIT. Anyway the more possible future merge or other changing scenario would be on ITE when MOE announced that in future, ITE will awarded 'apprentice-based' diploma. Worse case scenario, maybe some ITE, e.g the previous ITE College West might be the actual institutions that has chance of 'phase out' for any importment change in education.
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Originally posted by The Code:
Some polytechnics has already been 'merge' with distance learning universities e.g SIT. Anyway the more possible future merge or other changing scenario would be on ITE when MOE announced that in future, ITE will awarded 'apprentice-based' diploma. Worse case scenario, maybe some ITE, e.g the previous ITE College West might be the actual institutions that has chance of 'phase out' for any importment change in education.
ITE already merge already what...
In fact, they are the first to merge...
Previously, there were many ITE colleges all over the place...
Then they merge everything into North, South, East, West...
They should have done that for the neighbourhood JCs... or maybe that's what they are doing...
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The Singaporean forums also can merge... currently, there are around five forums, but the number of participants only so many. a lot of duplication... not efficient... it would be good if the five forums can merge into one...
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Actually, it's a waste that the Institutes of Technical Education and the Polytechnics never specialise on just one technology group (eg. Arts).
Instead, every institution offers the same kind of courses, and there is no uniform standard across all institutions.
Nonetheless, the damage is done. It's too costly to change the format.
The best way now is to merge similar courses within an institution, and implement a common syllabus across all institutions that offer that course.
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No plans to merge polytechnics, universities or ITE campuses: Ong Ye Kung http://str.sg/42KD