28 Sep 2006

DEVELOPING MORE NICHES OF EXCELLENCE IN OUR SCHOOLS

Funding and admissions flexibility for secondary schools that are building their niches

1. To develop more peaks of excellence in our school landscape, the Ministry of Education (MOE) will recognise more secondary schools with strong programmes as Niche Programme Schools. To support these schools in building up their niches of excellence, MOE will extend funding support of up to $30,000 to them. MOE will also extend Direct School Admission (DSA) to them, and allow them to admit up to 5% of their students through the DSA.
2. This will add to the diversity and richness in our education landscape, giving our students additional choices and allowing them to develop their individual strengths and talents. The announcement was made by Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister for Education, at the MOE Work Plan Seminar 2006 on 28 Sep 2006.
3. Currently, only secondary schools which have very strong potential in, and have a proven track record of achievements in their declared niches of excellence, can qualify to become Niche Programme Schools. Annex shows the existing 12 schools with niches in areas such as Sports, Performing Arts and Uniformed Groups.
4. However, there are other schools which are in the process of building up and developing areas of excellence. They already have strong programmes in place, though they have yet to establish a strong track record of achievements. Going forward, MOE will also recognise such schools with strong programmes and high potential, as Niche Programme Schools.
5. MOE will support these emerging Niche Programme Schools in building up their areas of excellence by providing them with up to $30,000 over 3 years, via an 'Enabling Fund'. These schools will also be able to enjoy greater flexibility in admitting talented students who can contribute to building up their niches. They will be able to admit up to 5% of their students through the DSA.
6. Schools that wish to develop niches of excellence can submit their proposals to MOE for approval. Over the next five years, up to 1/3 of our secondary schools are expected to develop their own niches of excellence.

Background

7. Since 2004, MOE has introduced Direct School Admissions to provide greater flexibility in the secondary and junior college (JC) school admission system. The phased plan included:
   1. a. allowing schools with the Integrated Programme (IP) full discretion in admissions;
   2. a. enhancing the autonomy of Autonomous Schools (AS) and Independent Schools (IS) by:
      1. increasing their level of discretionary places to 10% and 20% respectively, and
      2. allowing them to adopt their own merit-based admission criteria for these places;
   3. extending discretion on admissions, under the DSA-Sec Exercise, to mainstream secondary schools that have niche development approved by MOE for up to 5% of their Sec 1 intake;
   4. giving discretion on admissions, under the DSA-JC Exercise, to all JCs for up to 10% of their JC1 intake.

Annex