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9 March 2005
QUALITATIVE APPROACH TO CCA AND CIP IN JUNIOR COLLEGES
1. The National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) will adopt a qualitative approach in considering Co-Curricular Activities (CCA) of ‘A’-level and polytechnic applicants for university admission from 2007. The
2. With the move to a more flexible and qualitative scheme for considering the CCA experience of applicants to NUS and NTU, it will no longer be necessary to have a fixed CCA points system for junior college (JC) and Centralised Institute (CI) students applying to university from 2007 onwards. MOE will remove the CCA grading system, PEARLS, for first year students in JCs starting from this year[1].
3. At the same time, MOE will remove the minimum 6-hour requirement for CIP for all students in JCs and the CI from this year. The CIP scheme, introduced in 1998, is now a vibrant feature of JC life. The JCs and CI will henceforth have autonomy in integrating CIP into their curriculum to best meet and respond to the needs and interests of their students. CIP will remain an integral component of the JC curriculum.
4. The changes in CCA and CIP are consistent with extensive feedback from JC students. The changes are also in line with MOE and JC/CI’s efforts to encourage students to engage in CCA on the basis of interest and passion rather than the points they get for a particular activity. The shift in the 6-hour requirement for CIP will also encourage students to take initiative and focus on the quality of their involvement in the community, as many already do.
Towards Qualitative Assessment of CCAs and CIP for JCs and the CI
5. CCAs and the CIP are integral to a balanced and holistic education in our schools. They provide opportunities for character building and nurture life skills and attributes such as leadership, teamwork and compassion.
6. Currently, CCA constitutes 5% of the University Admission Score. For university admission from 2007, NUS and NTU will integrate CCA as part of the discretionary admission scheme instead of the University Admission Score. The discretionary admission scheme was introduced in 2004 to allow the two universities to consider a broader range of intellectual and character attributes besides students’ performance in the GCE ‘A’ level examinations. Currently, the scheme allows for up to 10% of students to be admitted on a discretionary basis.
7. Under their respective schemes for discretionary admission, NUS and NTU will look for evidence of these broader attributes in an applicant’s CCA contributions and achievements, and his involvement in CIP. Together with the University Admission Score, which will comprise the applicants’ ‘A’ level score, this would determine an applicants’ suitability for entry into the university. The move to a qualitative and more holistic assessment of CCA and other attributes is in line with admission practices in many reputable universities overseas.
8. Students who would have benefited from the current system of 5% allocation to CCA points will be given full consideration for their CCA achievements under the discretionary admission framework from 2007. Students with impressive CCA records or leadership abilities can in fact be given fuller and more flexible recognition under the new system.
9. The details of the modified NUS and NTU admission systems to consider CCA for 2007 admission are at Annexes A and B respectively. There is no change in the computation of University Admission Scores for the 2005 and 2006 admission exercises.
10. This qualitative approach to CCA and CIP will support efforts in JC/CI to encourage students to follow their interests and passions, and to take greater ownership of their CCA and CIP involvement. Feedback received from students and their JCs/CI have indicated that there is difficulty in fully capturing and quantifying students’ efforts and contributions under the current grading system.
11. CIP will remain integral to the JC and CI curriculum for all students. Each JC/CI will work out its own CIP programme, so as to maximise the room for initiative and leadership by students. Feedback from students and school leaders show that the vast majority of students are keen to engage in community work, and will want to participate actively in CIP activities.
Recognition of CCA and CIP for Scholarship Awards
12. The Public Service Commission (PSC) will continue to look at scholarship applicants’ participation and achievements in CCA and CIP within the new qualitative framework for these activities in the JC/CI.
Background
PEARLS
13. PEARLS was implemented in 2000 for JCs and CI, and quantifies CCA involvement (Participation, Enrichment, Achievement, Representation, Leadership and Service) into points. The points are used for admission to NUS and NTU and for Scholarship selection by some agencies.
Community Involvement Programmes (CIP)
14. The Community Involvement Programme (CIP) is one of the key strategies for National Education. Implemented in 1998, the overarching mission of the CIP is to nurture every student to be socially responsible and to help them understand that every Singaporean has a role in enhancing the well being of the community and the country, thus preparing them for a lifetime of active citizenship.
University Admissions System
15. For the transition year of 2005, the admissions system provides the option to include or to omit SAT I scores. For those whose SAT I scores are counted, 5 bonus points are awarded for CCA (see option A of the table below). For those whose SAT I scores are not counted, CCA forms 5% of the university admission score (see option B of the table below).
16. For 2006, CCA will form 5% of the university admission score (see option B of the table below).
|
Option |
‘A’-levels |
SAT I |
CCA |
|
A |
75% |
25% |
Up to 5 bonus points
|
|
B |
95% |
- |
5% (included in 100% score) |
Note: Option (a) is the scoring formula if applicants’ SAT I scores are counted while Option (b) is the formula if the applicants choose not to submit their SAT I scores. The universities will consider the higher of the two options for university admission in 2005, as some applicants could have already sat for SAT I earlier. Universities will consider only option (b) in 2006.
| [Back to Top] | ANNEX A |
Co-curricular Activities/Community Involvement Programmes in NUS Admissions Process
The admissions process is the
1. Admission to NUS has shifted towards a more holistic evaluation process which, among other things, considers the applicants’ contributions, passion and achievement in activities outside of formal academic work. This is in line with NUS’ commitment to developing a more diverse student mix reflecting varied interests, experiences and perspectives, which provide for a vibrant and rich learning environment.
Current admissions criteria
2. In the present system, Co-curricular activities (CCA) can contribute to a maximum of 5 points to an applicant’s University Admission Score, while the remaining 95 points are accounted for by academic results.
Qualitative Assessment of CCA and CIP
3. From 2007, instead of assigning CCA a numerical weightage of up to 5% of points, NUS will consider CCA/CIP more holistically. Students will be asked to include their CCA/CIP participation as part of their application, and will have the opportunity to elaborate in their write-up on their interest in the CCA/CIP, the extent of their involvement and the impact of their contributions. NUS feel that this would be a better way of making a more holistic evaluation of the applicants’ interests and achievements outside of academic work.
4. We expect that the majority of applicants will have good academic performance as well as meaningful CCA/CIP participation. Thus, as with the current system, this group will very likely be admitted to NUS without difficulty. There will however be another group of applicants whose academic performance alone might not secure them a place at NUS but who may have demonstrated passion and achievement in non-academic areas of endeavour. NUS would invite these applicants for interview, so as to obtain a better assessment of these aspects of their performance. Such applicants will be offered admission to NUS if they have achieved an acceptable level of academic competence and through their active involvement in CCA/CIP and/or other activities, show strong evidence in some of the following attributes:
5. NUS Dean of Admissions, Assoc Prof
Conclusion
6. NUS expects a wider spread of talent and diversity in its student community as a result of its ongoing innovations in its admissions process.
| [Back to Top] | ANNEX B |
Co-curricular Activities and the Community Involvement Programmes to come under NTU discretionary admissions for Academic Year 2007
1. Come Academic Year (AY) 2007, Co-Curricular Activities (CCA) will no longer be included in the university admission score. Instead, CCA and Community Involvement Programmes (CIP)_will be considered qualitatively under the university’s discretionary admissions where candidates are screened for qualities such as leadership, creativity, passion and a sense of the values in areas such as sports, the arts and community service.
Current admissions criteria
2. Currently, CCA contributes up to 5% of the university admissions score. CCA are also taken into consideration in the screening for discretionary criteria. The discretionary intake is now capped at 10% but may be increased in the future.
Qualitative Assessment of CCA and CIP
3. From AY2007, the university will scan all applicants’ CCA/CIP participation under its discretionary criteria. In evaluating CCA/CIP, NTU will not only consider outstanding achievement and leadership but will also take into account the level of participation and representation. Applicants for discretionary admission are short-listed and interviewed by admissions panels comprising university faculty, students and alumni, a practice that is already adopted to select the 10% discretionary intake.
4. Applicants not given places under the discretionary criteria will be processed based on their admissions score. Borderline cases may be interviewed by the NTU Schools to which they have applied for admission where CCA/CIP will be further reviewed and taken into account for admission.
5. NTU Dean of admissions, Prof
[1]In consultation with Millennia Institute (MI), MOE has decided to also remove the PEARLS system for both first and second year students at the institute. This year’s final-year students at the JCs and the CI who apply to NUS or NTU would continue to have their PEARLS scores considered for admission in 2006, as in current practice.
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