ADMISSION TO PRE-U CLASSES, POLYTECHNICS AND VITB INSTITUTES (English Language requirement)

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Mr Lim Boon Heng: To ask the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education whether he is aware that students who fail to obtain a credit in English as the first language are denied admission to pre-university classes, the Polytechnics and vocational institutes although they obtain good results in other subjects, and whether his Ministry will permit such students to pursue pre-university education and at the same time be given remedial instruction in English, in order that such students are given the opportunity to maximise their potential.

Mr Ng Kah Ting (Punggol): Question No. 1, Sir.

The Minister of State of Education (Dr Tay Eng Soon) (for the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education): Mr Speaker, Sir, it is untrue that students who fail to obtain a credit in EL1 but obtain good results in other subjects are denied admission to Pre-university classes, the two Polytechnics and VITB institutes.

The Ministry allows students who fail to obtain a credit in EL1 but who have done well in other subjects to join the Pre-university courses. Those who obtain 15 points or better in five subjects, i.e. in EL1 plus four other subjects, are admitted to the 3-year course at Pre-U centres. Amongst this group, those who do especially well in three relevant subjects are allowed to join the 2-year course in junior colleges. At the Pre-U centres, students are given supplementary English lessons to improve their English and two years in which to resit their EL1 examination. The purpose is to give good students who are weak in English as much opportunity as possible to get through the Pre-U course.

In 1980, there were 45 such students, out of a total intake of 8,580 into Pre-university classes. In 1981, there were 67 out of 8,040 and in 1982, there were 136 out of 7,717. The majority of such students are able to pass EL1. For the 1980 batch, for example, more than 70% passed their EL1.

As for the Singapore Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic and VITB, the majority of their courses require only a Grade 7 or 8 in either EL1 or EL2 as admission requirements. Both Polytechnics provide English Language proficiency classes to help their students. The only courses that require a credit in English at these institutions are those that require a high level of language proficiency such as Business Studies and Computer Studies.