The Integrated Programme (IP) provides a seamless upper-secondary and junior-college education in which secondary-school students can proceed directly to junior college without taking the General Certificate of Education (GCE) ‘O’ Level Examination.[1] The IP takes the form of a six-year programme, culminating in the GCE ‘A’ Level certificate or other diplomas such as the International Baccalaureate (IB).[2]
The IP was a key outcome of the upper-secondary and junior-college education review initiated in April 2002 that aimed to foster greater diversity and flexibility in the system in order to accommodate the varying interests and abilities of students.[3] Targeting the top 10 percent of the cohort, it was envisioned that such “through-train” education would allow better use of curriculum time to immerse students in broader learning experiences that would develop their creativity, critical thinking, intellectual curiosity and leadership skills.[4]
The introduction of the scheme was announced by then Minister for Education Teo Chee Hean at the fifth Principals’ Appointment Ceremony held on 30 December 2002.[5] The first schools approved to implement the programme from 2004 were the Hwa Chong and Raffles families of schools, National Junior College and Anglo-Chinese School (Independent).[6]
Since then, the IP has expanded to include the following institutions: Catholic High School, CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School, Singapore Chinese Girls’ School, Dunman High School, Nanyang Girls’ High School, River Valley High School, Temasek Junior College, Victoria School, Cedar Girls’ Secondary School, Victoria Junior College, Methodist Girls’ School, St Joseph’s Institution and the NUS High School.[7]
References
1. Ministry of Education, Singapore. (2014). Integrated Programmes (IP). Retrieved October 17, 2014, from Ministry of Education website: http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/secondary/other/integrated-programme/
2. Loo, J. (2006, March 26). Tip top students. The Straits Times, p. 44. Retrieved from NewspaperSG; Ministry of Education. (2014). Integrated Programmes (IP). Retrieved October 17, 2014, from Ministry of Education website: http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/secondary/other/integrated-programme/
3. Ministry of Education. (2002). Report of the junior college/upper secondary education review committee (p. 9). Singapore: Ministry of Education. Call no.: RSING q373.328095957 SIN.
4. Ministry of Education, 2002, pp. 54–56.
5. Ministry of Education. (2002, December 30). MOE approves the introduction of Integrated Programmes in four schools [Press release]. Retrieved October 20, 2014, from Ministry of Education website: http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2002/pr31122002.htm
6. Ministry of Education, 30 Dec 2002, MOE approves the introduction of Integrated Programmes in four schools [Press release].
7. Ministry of Education, 2014, Integrated Programmes (IP).
The information in this article is valid as at 2014 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.