INTEGRATED PROGRAMME

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INTEGRATED PROGRAMME

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(Evaluation): **

24.

Dr Ong Seh Hong asked the Minister for Education (a) if he will provide an evaluation of the Integrated Programme so far; and (b) what is the status of these students who did not pass their GCE Advanced Level Examinations, if any.

Dr Ng Eng Hen: The Integrated Programme (IP) was introduced in 2004. At this point, our evaluation can only be preliminary as only one batch of IP students has completed their ‘A’ level or equivalent examinations.

Feedback from the IP students indicates that they have enjoyed the learning environment which allowed them to stretch their intellectual potential, while equipping them for self-directed learning. In terms of examination results, their performance has been good. Based on the 2007 A-Level results of the first batch of IP students from the IP JCs, namely Raffles Junior College, Hwa Chong Institution and National Junior College, the IP students performed at a similar level as last year’s cohort in the same JCs. [ For information: 98.2% of IP students in the three JCs obtained a pass in 3H2 subjects and GP/KI, compared to 98.3% of the same JCs last year. ] Given the change in the A-level curriculum, we also looked at the performance within each JC, and IP students have also performed well when compared with their non-IP peers. In these three JCs, 98.2% of IP students obtained a pass in 3H2 subjects and General Paper/Knowledge and Inquiry, compared with 96.8% of the non-IP students.

As with previous cohorts from these schools before IP was introduced, there are a handful of students who did not meet the minimum criteria to qualify for admission to our three publicly-funded universities. These students have chosen to repeat their ‘A’ levels, or apply to overseas educational institutions using their ‘A’ level and school-based results.

Our preliminary assessment from initial results is that the IP programmes have been positive, and met their objectives of providing a more holistic education for our students. MOE will continue to monitor the progress.