Fourth university coming up
Fourth university coming up
Three existing ones too large to be expanded; new one to have own identity
By Peh Shing Huei
SINGAPORE will have a fourth public-funded university, and may not stop at four.
Confirming recent speculation that there will be another university, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday revealed that the Government could 'open more than one route' to tertiary education.
The new university will have its own character and unique strengths, he said, adding that the three public universities are already large and should not be expanded further.
Minister of State for Education Lui Tuck Yew will chair a committee to study how to expand the university sector, with former deputy prime minister Tony Tan acting as adviser.
A decision will be made within a year, Mr Lee said.
This was among a number of education changes he announced, all pointing in the same direction: more options and more pathways to success through a first-rate education system.
MORE ALTERNATIVES
The Government could 'open more than one route' to tertiary education. Lui Tuck Yew will chair a committee to study how to expand the university sector, with Tony Tan acting as adviser.
Other changes in education
Selected secondary schools will offer a regional studies programme for Singapore students to learn Malay and about countries in the region. About 100 scholarships will be given a year with the scheme.
There will be more incentives to encourage the study of Malay by non-Malays and Chinese by non-Chinese. These include two bonus points for junior college admission.
... more
The new university comes at a time of rising demand for tertiary education, and as more polytechnic graduates want to pursue degrees.
Already, 15 per cent of poly graduates move on to the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University and the Singapore Management University, and many more go overseas.
The current situation has led to some unhappiness.
Even though the universities increased the number of places, there was some fretting over admissions earlier this year because there were more applicants as well.
Mr Lee recounted what MacPherson MP Matthias Yao had told him about two constituents, a couple whose two children did well in polytechnic and went to Australia for their degrees and remained there.
'So two old folks alone at home, feeling bereft, empty nest,' said Mr Lee.
Today, 23 per cent of every batch of children entering Primary 1 makes it to the three universities.
The aim is to raise that proportion to 30 per cent by 2015, and that will mean 2,400 more places each year.
Rear-Admiral (NS) Lui said after the rally that there will be a lot of work ahead for his committee to come up with a plan for the new university to meet the aspirations of young people here, especially the 'polytechnic upgraders'.
'We have a great opportunity now to integrate it with the polytechnics, so that it comes through almost as a through-train programme,' he said.
In his speech, Mr Lee said the Government's aim is to give every child a top-rate education and the Education Ministry had worked hard to emphasise quality at all neighbourhood schools.
Principals and teachers had more freedom to experiment, more resources were going to schools with good ideas, and there was more help available for needy students.
He shared examples of successful experiments to 'Teach Less, Learn More' - a change of approach he first described in his inaugural National Day Rally in 2004.
Lessons have become more interesting, children are participating more actively, and he had seen this for himself in visits to Jurong Secondary and Mayflower Primary schools.
It meant that children from less-privileged backgrounds have more opportunities to level up.
Explaining why this was important, he cited a study here which found that wages go up by 14 per cent for every extra year a person spent in school.
Three existing ones too large to be expanded; new one to have own identity
By Peh Shing Huei
SINGAPORE will have a fourth public-funded university, and may not stop at four.
Confirming recent speculation that there will be another university, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday revealed that the Government could 'open more than one route' to tertiary education.
The new university will have its own character and unique strengths, he said, adding that the three public universities are already large and should not be expanded further.
Minister of State for Education Lui Tuck Yew will chair a committee to study how to expand the university sector, with former deputy prime minister Tony Tan acting as adviser.
A decision will be made within a year, Mr Lee said.
This was among a number of education changes he announced, all pointing in the same direction: more options and more pathways to success through a first-rate education system.
MORE ALTERNATIVES
The Government could 'open more than one route' to tertiary education. Lui Tuck Yew will chair a committee to study how to expand the university sector, with Tony Tan acting as adviser.
Other changes in education
Selected secondary schools will offer a regional studies programme for Singapore students to learn Malay and about countries in the region. About 100 scholarships will be given a year with the scheme.
There will be more incentives to encourage the study of Malay by non-Malays and Chinese by non-Chinese. These include two bonus points for junior college admission.
... more
The new university comes at a time of rising demand for tertiary education, and as more polytechnic graduates want to pursue degrees.
Already, 15 per cent of poly graduates move on to the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University and the Singapore Management University, and many more go overseas.
The current situation has led to some unhappiness.
Even though the universities increased the number of places, there was some fretting over admissions earlier this year because there were more applicants as well.
Mr Lee recounted what MacPherson MP Matthias Yao had told him about two constituents, a couple whose two children did well in polytechnic and went to Australia for their degrees and remained there.
'So two old folks alone at home, feeling bereft, empty nest,' said Mr Lee.
Today, 23 per cent of every batch of children entering Primary 1 makes it to the three universities.
The aim is to raise that proportion to 30 per cent by 2015, and that will mean 2,400 more places each year.
Rear-Admiral (NS) Lui said after the rally that there will be a lot of work ahead for his committee to come up with a plan for the new university to meet the aspirations of young people here, especially the 'polytechnic upgraders'.
'We have a great opportunity now to integrate it with the polytechnics, so that it comes through almost as a through-train programme,' he said.
In his speech, Mr Lee said the Government's aim is to give every child a top-rate education and the Education Ministry had worked hard to emphasise quality at all neighbourhood schools.
Principals and teachers had more freedom to experiment, more resources were going to schools with good ideas, and there was more help available for needy students.
He shared examples of successful experiments to 'Teach Less, Learn More' - a change of approach he first described in his inaugural National Day Rally in 2004.
Lessons have become more interesting, children are participating more actively, and he had seen this for himself in visits to Jurong Secondary and Mayflower Primary schools.
It meant that children from less-privileged backgrounds have more opportunities to level up.
Explaining why this was important, he cited a study here which found that wages go up by 14 per cent for every extra year a person spent in school.
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