Expansion of Singapore Sports School Diploma Programme for Student-Athletes

Mr David Hoe asked the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth with the Singapore Sports School currently offering a limited number of athlete-friendly polytechnic diploma programmes in partnership with selected polytechnics, whether the Ministry will consider expanding the range of diploma pathways available to student-athletes to better support diverse strengths and career aspirations.

Mr David Neo: The Singapore Sports School (SSP) consistently seeks to strengthen support for student-athletes who pursue high-performance sport alongside their academic development.

Over the years, SSP has progressively expanded its breadth of athlete-friendly polytechnic diploma pathways. Most recently, it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Temasek Polytechnic to offer five diploma programmes under its School of Applied Science. The programmes, available for enrolment in 2027, represents a significant milestone in expanding dual-career pathways for student-athletes as it marks the first time SSP is offering STEM-based diploma options and off-campus academic programmes.

This latest development expands SSP's arrangements today to three out of the five polytechnics which provide diplomas in business and the applied sciences to meet the evolving educational and career aspirations of our student-athletes.

Further, beyond the polytechnic pathways, SSP offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, with flexibility for high-performing student-athletes to extend the programme to three years instead of two years to balance both their sporting and academic pursuits.

The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and SSP will continue to work with suitable education partners to create more athlete-friendly pathways for our student-athletes.