8 Junior Colleges are Merging? Rumors or Reality?
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Just thinking aloud, what are the possible repercussions after the shutting down of 4 JCs at one stroke instead of doing it gradually?
1) Will this be seen as a faux pas and cast bad light on NCM? Not sure will any \"merged\" JC alumni petition which may create negative publicity.
2) NCM on one the hand urges children/parents not to focus on PSLE results but on the other hand shut down those lowest ranked JCs (academic wise). Some mixed signals there. :frustrated:
3) If RI & HCI currently take in the top 1200 students each and with the merger, the two top JCs will expand and absorb the top 1300-1400 students each, the two giants will only grow stronger, making the gap between them and other JCs like VJC wider? -
My guess is that the independent JC will probably increase only slightly.
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lee_yl:
Just thinking aloud, what are the possible repercussions after the shutting down of 4 JCs at one stroke instead of doing it gradually?
1) Will this be seen as a faux pas and cast bad light on NCM? Not sure will any \"merged\" JC alumni petition which may create negative publicity.
It's a \"damned if you do, damned if you don't\" issue, I feel - whichever way it goes, some people will not like it. Spreading it out will give the feeling of constant change and long-term negative publicity; is that better than the all-at-once plan? Hard to say.
2) NCM on one the hand urges children/parents not to focus on PSLE results but on the other hand shut down those lowest ranked JCs (academic wise). Some mixed signals there. :frustrated:
If we look at it as \"JCs with dwindling enrolment\" (which leads to highest numerical COP), it won't seem so discriminatory?
3) If RI & HCI currently take in the top 1200 students each and with the merger, the two top JCs will expand and absorb the top 1300-1400 students each, the two giants will only grow stronger, making the gap between them and other JCs like VJC wider?
There are many good students in Singapore with low numerical scores, and not all will choose the 2 behemoths for a range of reasons, so I think there're plenty to go round. -
slmkhoo:
http://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore/8-vacated-schools-still-stand-empty-following-mergersmum_sugoku:
Doesn't it mean they have no proper contingency plan? 'Never mind, assume baby bonus scheme works, build first, if it fails, then just close them down.'
The JCs were in use for more than 10 yrs, which is not too bad, I would think. They aren't tearing them down, but do have plans to use the buildings for other purposes.
Also, I deem it a waste to spend money building facilities only to be used for 10+ years.
[quote]If they hadn't built, then there would have been fewer JC places for the past decade or so, and they would probably have been criticised for that too?[/quote]Yes, that'd better be the case, ie back then, they were giving in to public demand and, despite concerns over sustainability in the long run, proceeded to build the JCs.
It would be worse if back then, signs (of decline) were already there, yet they still projected a healthy/ sustainable demand, and proceeded to build the JCs!! -
jetsetter:
AJC and the 7 that were picked are wholly-owned govt JCs that are diff legal entities under a different governance framework which makes them less complicated to merge. MOE has full autonomy over the 8 JCs. Some others like CJC, ACJC and SAJC which have a lower COP than AJC are left untouched as they are govt-aided.
There's really no reason for AJC alumni to be upset cos, as I see it, AJ is just a 'collateral damage' - a result of MOE's preference for using 'merging' over 'closing down' (SRJC in this case). Since you need at least 2 JCs to 'merge', AJ was picked (perhaps because it happens to be geographically nearest to SR?)mum_sugoku:
[quote=\"jetsetter\"]
As far as I know, only 2 KGMs have mentioned they were from AJC and while they lamented about the merger and possible slide in COP, they aren't going to petition or do anything at all.
What I fail to understand is, why had they not foreseen the decline in student enrollment and proceeded to open 2 more JCs (InnovaI and Meridian) in the early 2000s? Back then, baby bonus had already been introduced, indicating govt was already aware of our declining birth rates. And if the objective was to increase proportion of U grads, it could always increase the intake from polys, couldn't it?
It's waste of money/resources to build JC facilities only to have it closed some years later. Just like what they did with that Budget Terminal at Changi.
Edited to add: NYJC is also govt-aided.[/quote]1 dead giveaway that they are 'closing down', not 'merging' :
'intake will increase in ALL remaining JCs...'
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I think there was a time when there was demand for more JC places that is why there was a need for more JCs. However the birth rates kept falling and govt had to put its brakes on foreign imports, thus the fall in need for the places.
Would it be better then, that at that point in time when there were more students being able to qualify for JC, be denied that path due to lack of facilities because all signs point to a falling demand eventually, or to build and cater to the more current need and adjust it later on?
Everything is dynamic. We may be able to see 10 steps ahead but sometimes we must deal with the 1st 5 steps first in order to go the 6th to 10th step. Education for the young and providing them the opportunity to receive that education cannot be seen as a waste. It is an investment.
As for those buildings, there can be many uses for them. Mega Childcare centres, private schools, training centres, research centres, there is no lack of usage for these premise if the govt want to open them up for lease or convert their usage. -
This is OT: when I raised this issue, I was also wondering: at the moment, govt has projected a 6.9m population by 2030, and started building infrastructure/housings in preparation for it. What if, the anticipated migrants didn’t come subsequently? What are they gonna do with the surplus housings they’ve built? What’s their contingency plan?
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mum_sugoku:
1 dead giveaway that they are 'closing down', not 'merging' :
AJC and the 7 that were picked are wholly-owned govt JCs that are diff legal entities under a different governance framework which makes them less complicated to merge. MOE has full autonomy over the 8 JCs. Some others like CJC, ACJC and SAJC which have a lower COP than AJC are left untouched as they are govt-aided.jetsetter:
[quote=\"mum_sugoku\"]
There's really no reason for AJC alumni to be upset cos, as I see it, AJ is just a 'collateral damage' - a result of MOE's preference for using 'merging' over 'closing down' (SRJC in this case). Since you need at least 2 JCs to 'merge', AJ was picked (perhaps because it happens to be geographically nearest to SR?)
What I fail to understand is, why had they not foreseen the decline in student enrollment and proceeded to open 2 more JCs (InnovaI and Meridian) in the early 2000s? Back then, baby bonus had already been introduced, indicating govt was already aware of our declining birth rates. And if the objective was to increase proportion of U grads, it could always increase the intake from polys, couldn't it?
It's waste of money/resources to build JC facilities only to have it closed some years later. Just like what they did with that Budget Terminal at Changi.
Edited to add: NYJC is also govt-aided.
'intake will increase in ALL remaining JCs...'[/quote]Yes, I feel sorry for JCs who have to amalgamate their brand identities, compose a new school anthem, design a new crest, motto and uniform!
Hope that MOE can render them some support say funding for these misc 'projects' to be outsourced to professional design houses! Unlike EJC, these newly merged JC students have to do it within 18 months as they come in only after JAE! It can be very disruptive.
My takeaway from this episode is: stay away from full-govt non-IPJCs if you can. Your alma mater can disappear anytime! -
jetsetter:
Yeah. Went for excel and tcm courses before. The govt really look after old folks like us
Ah gong you are so free. Got sign up for SkillsFuture yet?Grandypa:
You have summarized the issues so well. Dont mind i post it in the other thread -
janet88:
I feel Poly may not need to merge as Govt is encouraging lifelong learning, so working adults will be encouraged to take up short courses conducted by Polytechnics and there's where the course fees will help to maintain the operations costs of Polys
when birth rate continues to fall, the polytechnics will be next to merge.floppy:
One day it may be the polys turn as well.
Ngee Ann Poly - Clementi
Singapore Poly - Dover
Temasek Poly - East
Republic Poly - Woodlands
Nanyang Poly - AMK
Also many Sec school students may not enjoy JC life which is more academically inclined, they choose to go Poly for diverse learning and prepare them to join their interested industry sooner. School hours and attire are also so different. Not all students will take JC route to go Uni.
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