8 Junior Colleges are Merging? Rumors or Reality?
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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. -
jetsetter:
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!
1 dead giveaway that they are 'closing down', not 'merging' :mum_sugoku:
[quote=\"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.
Edited to add: NYJC is also govt-aided.
'intake will increase in ALL remaining JCs...'
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![/quote]That's what my DH said too and he even asked me which JC (or Poly) will be on the merger list next if we don't see any recovery in Singapore's birth rate?
Gosh, even with the new AL Banding, one better get good PSLE grades and get into independent IPJCs!
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Ikid:
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.janet88:
[quote=\"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.[/quote]Don't think they will merge polys in the near future. They just hired a new Minister for Higher Education Ong Ye Kung to look after polys, ITE and unis. His job is to link these programmes to SkillsFuture. -
lee_yl:
I didn't know NYJC is govt-aided.
That's what my DH said too and he even asked me which JC (or Poly) will be on the merger list next if we don't see any recovery in Singapore's birth rate?jetsetter:
My takeaway from this episode is: stay away from full-govt non-IPJCs if you can. Your alma mater can disappear anytime!
Gosh, even with the new AL Banding, one better get good PSLE grades and get into independent IPJCs!
4 IPJCs are full-govt - NJC, TJC, VJC and EJC. But the feeder schools of VJC and EJC are not. And these are the 2 that have influential and vocal bodies to deal with.
http://news.asiaone.com/News/Education/Story/A1Story20091015-173853.html
Notice those merged ones have no high profile advocates? Their alumni are less vocal and they don't have any religious groups or Chinese clans to back them. Or they didn't produce enough high profile graduates with status to argue with MOE. -
how come many years ago, when VJC started the IP program : why did Victoria Boys Secondary choose Cedar Girls as their IP strategic-alliance partner ?
why didn’t choose Crescent Girls, nor SCGS Girls Secondary, as partner, back then ?
(these two Girls’ schools : no religion attached) -
jetsetter:
to me, alumni from National JC and Temasek JC : don't seem vocal
I didn't know NYJC is govt-aided.
4 IPJCs are full-govt - NJC, TJC, VJC and EJC. But the feeder schools of VJC and EJC are not. And these are the 2 that have influential and vocal bodies to deal with.
http://news.asiaone.com/News/Education/Story/A1Story20091015-173853.html
Notice those merged ones have no high profile advocates?
Their alumni are less vocal and they don't have any religious groups or Chinese clans to back them. Or they didn't produce enough high profile graduates with status to argue with MOE.
(or maybe I am wrong)
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