8 Junior Colleges are Merging? Rumors or Reality?
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Imp75:
Hi Imp75. Great to have this channel. Please suggest 'recycling' of ex-jc building for EJC as all are state properties after all. It's only fair and the wish of every taxpayer and yours too, as you had posted earlier. I am sure EJC kids will set good example to share the woes of others too and they will agree graciously. This will help cool down the sentiments of those affected. The new building can be used for other purposes that can boost our economy.AJCAA is appealing for feedback
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScQQtYqqa-oULiwhpjcW2j4hwYv_3xR6c3CCmZ17uugM4XaaQ/viewform?c=0&w=1
Thank you. -
ParkYuni:
Thanks for informing, Imp75. I totally agree with parkyuni. In a time like this, surely the authority will not want to be accused of rewarding the smarter ones while 'punishing' the weaker.
Hi Imp75. Great to have this channel. Please suggest 'recycling' of ex-jc building for EJC as all are state properties after all. It's only fair and the wish of every taxpayer and yours too, as you had posted earlier. I am sure EJC kids will set good example to share the woes of others too and they will agree graciously. This will help cool down the sentiments of those affected. The new building can be used for other purposes that can boost our economy.Imp75:
AJCAA is appealing for feedback
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScQQtYqqa-oULiwhpjcW2j4hwYv_3xR6c3CCmZ17uugM4XaaQ/viewform?c=0&w=1
Thank you.
While the reasons regarding IP is acceptable, we don't see the necessity to build a new premises for the purpose. It may be different if ejc is an independent sch.
So what if the construction job is in progress or promises are being made to the 3 sec schs? The 4 merging jcs are also not honoured of their existing premises and 8 are even losing their names and heritage.
The new IP pupils should compromise to prove their worth.
(There are complaints in other forums such as hardwarezone, reddit and mothership too). -
Sieg:
Thanks for informing, Imp75. I totally agree with parkyuni. In a time like this, surely the authority will not want to be accused of rewarding the smarter ones while 'punishing' the weaker.
Hi Imp75. Great to have this channel. Please suggest 'recycling' of ex-jc building for EJC as all are state properties after all. It's only fair and the wish of every taxpayer and yours too, as you had posted earlier. I am sure EJC kids will set good example to share the woes of others too and they will agree graciously. This will help cool down the sentiments of those affected. The new building can be used for other purposes that can boost our economy.ParkYuni:
[quote=\"Imp75\"]AJCAA is appealing for feedback
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScQQtYqqa-oULiwhpjcW2j4hwYv_3xR6c3CCmZ17uugM4XaaQ/viewform?c=0&w=1
Thank you.
While the reasons regarding IP is acceptable, we don't see the necessity to build a new premises for the purpose. It may be different if ejc is an independent sch.
So what if the construction job is in progress or promises are being made to the 3 sec schs? The 4 merging jcs are also not honoured of their existing premises and 8 are even losing their names and heritage.
The new IP pupils should compromise to prove their worth.
(There are complaints in other forums such as hardwarezone, reddit and mothership too).[/quote]Can't agree more. Another reason is that it is unwise to clutter all the popular schools in one area. The new premises of ejc is just a stone-throw from Bishan and all the popular schs. Housing prices will be beyond reach for the average family and affect its demographic balance. Srjc is the most centralised in location among the 4 vacanting jcs. We aren't short-changing ejc by suggesting it. However, if the premises is too small, ijc premises will be spacious enough as noted by many forummers. We are short of ip jc in the north anyway.
Imp75, hope you will consider my feedback too. -
I’ll be the first to admit. I have vested interest, albeit not directly, and that affects the way I feel about things or shape my opinion. Don’t we all?
When I first read the news, my first thought was how a smaller – and probably more academically-inclined – cohort would affect the bell curve, since my DD2 would be entering JC in 2019. Then, I felt bad for the students (current and past) affected. Bad, because I know I too would feel terrible if it were my alma mater being "merged". But especially bad because two of my friends’ kids are in JC1 in two affected JCs. These were not their first choice JCs and it took them a while to be reconciled with that. Then, just as they are finally settling into the school, this merger has to take place. Suddenly, their schools are going to disappear. For one of them, there won’t be juniors to pass the torch to. My father, upon learning of the merger, was worried if it would affect my DD1 (even though her school was not one of the 8).
My point is, many of us will react instinctively as we are affected in one way or another. We may perhaps be blunt, but I think we should all make a conscious effort to refrain from offensive language.
EJC has borne the brunt from many because of the merger. Personally, I feel they have done nothing to deserve it. EJC (both the programme and the new campus) was conceived way before the proposed mergers took place. I feel that the students need not do anything, compromise or otherwise, to prove their worth. The only things they need to do is to study hard, be good students and upright citizens, and eventually contribute back to society in a positive and meaningful way. The only thing they have to prove is that they are worthy of the faith in them. Or in practical terms, worthy of the investment in them.
It would appear that the merger of the 8 JCs is irrevocable. Moving forward, it is my sincere wish that more can be done to boost the morale of the students & alumni and also to increase the profile of the schools, beyond giving the schools a new name and preserving their heritage. Is it possible for stakeholders to come together and develop a niche for the schools? Perhaps for MOE to have special programmes for the merged schools, like how some JCs have bicultural programmes or how VJC used to have their niche of Theatre Studies? That will help pull students to these schools, and create a more varied educational landscape for all students. -
Sieg:
So would you suggest that RGS occupy one of the premises of the closed down secondary schools instead of building themselves a modern grand campus next to RI ?
Thanks for informing, Imp75. I totally agree with parkyuni. In a time like this, surely the authority will not want to be accused of rewarding the smarter ones while 'punishing' the weaker.
While the reasons regarding IP is acceptable, we don't see the necessity to build a new premises for the purpose. It may be different if ejc is an independent sch.
So what if the construction job is in progress or promises are being made to the 3 sec schs? The 4 merging jcs are also not honoured of their existing premises and 8 are even losing their names and heritage.
The new IP pupils should compromise to prove their worth.
(There are complaints in other forums such as hardwarezone, reddit and mothership too).
Or suggest that the proposed new primary school to be built be relocated to one of the closed down primary school instead?
If it is really your altruistic interest to champion the rights of the \"weaker\", why stop only at the JC level ?
Btw, can you share with us your alumni or your DC alumni? Was it one of the affected JCs? -
I suspect MOE may have underestimated the level of unhappiness when they made this merger announcement. The sensitivities of alumni were not taken into account, and what made it worse is when the ministry attempted to explain that the mergers have nothing to do with their cut-off points. It might have been better if the ministry stuck to the message that the JCs were merged because they simply lack the critical mass to continue to operate effectively by themselves.
Nobody likes their alma mater to disappear. I myself have fond memories of my days in TJC, and knowing that it is still around for me to visit when I want to relive those times - that is the home-coming that we value more and more as we age. All the snide remarks about merging NJC and HCJC instead, atas vs normal, etc, is a consequence of this natural love for our roots. Why must it be my school and not YOUR school? A lot of people are in pain.
I strongly feel that MOE and the affected schools should reach out to their alumni, reconnect with them and help them reconnect with their old schoolmates, and set up something to allow the alumni to remember and celebrate their roots. Don’t cheapen their memories by shutting down the JCs at short notice like you would to an underperforming retail store. -
actually the more I think about it, the more I feel MOE should explain their rationale more to the public on the merger and why these 8 JCs.
If indeed due to falling enrollment, can they show us indeed these 8 JCs or perhaps the 4 disappearing ones are indeed the ones with the lowest enrollment and therefore least popular and therefore should be merged. I think by so far they only made a sweeping statement showing overall decline in birth rate and lowered JC population along the years. Also, if indeed these 4 are the lowest enrollment, then too bad, they probably should go due to falling popularity. But if a school is spared due to affiliation reasons or "different governance structure", then I think it is a tad too unfair. Is it trying to say "too many stakeholders, therefore choose the easier alternative"? Must be fair meh…otherwise, next time, for no reason, all parents will flock to affiliated schools starting from kindergarten… -
Imp75:
Aren't the parents of today already doing that, with or without the mergers ?
....otherwise, next time, for no reason, all parents will flock to affiliated schools starting from kindergarten.... -
Imp75:
To take surgery knife n operate on full govt funded sch is faster n moe can have full control,actually the more I think about it, the more I feel MOE should explain their rationale more to the public on the merger and why these 8 JCs.
If indeed due to falling enrollment, can they show us indeed these 8 JCs or perhaps the 4 disappearing ones are indeed the ones with the lowest enrollment and therefore least popular and therefore should be merged. I think by so far they only made a sweeping statement showing overall decline in birth rate and lowered JC population along the years. Also, if indeed these 4 are the lowest enrollment, then too bad, they probably should go due to falling popularity. But if a school is spared due to affiliation reasons or \"different governance structure\", then I think it is a tad too unfair. Is it trying to say \"too many stakeholders, therefore choose the easier alternative\"? Must be fair meh....otherwise, next time, for no reason, all parents will flock to affiliated schools starting from kindergarten....
Aided sch/jc has more autonomy since they rec so much lesser fund $ fr govt -
Imp75:
7 out of the 8 JCs to be merged have the lowest COPs. Since COP is a result of demand and supply, I would take it as a reflection of popularity (and therefore enrolment) since technically the most popular JCs will be filled up first before the balance is spilled over to the next JC). AJC is \"collateral damage\", as someone has previously mentioned,actually the more I think about it, the more I feel MOE should explain their rationale more to the public on the merger and why these 8 JCs.
If indeed due to falling enrollment, can they show us indeed these 8 JCs or perhaps the 4 disappearing ones are indeed the ones with the lowest enrollment and therefore least popular and therefore should be merged. I think by so far they only made a sweeping statement showing overall decline in birth rate and lowered JC population along the years. Also, if indeed these 4 are the lowest enrollment, then too bad, they probably should go due to falling popularity. But if a school is spared due to affiliation reasons or \"different governance structure\", then I think it is a tad too unfair. Is it trying to say \"too many stakeholders, therefore choose the easier alternative\"? Must be fair meh....otherwise, next time, for no reason, all parents will flock to affiliated schools starting from kindergarten....
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