DSA 2022
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ainunnajib\" post_id=\"2067513\" time=\"1652526143\" user_id=\"166513:
You may want to double confirm with the school but I believe the answer is no. See FAQ #12.
Wouldn’t other mother tongue (in our case, Malay) be directed to separate classes by MOE at Bishan? Or is it true that he won’t be able to even enroll to HCI as Malay?
https://www.admissions.hci.edu.sg/faqs-pg2 -
ainunnajib\" post_id=\"2067513\" time=\"1652526143\" user_id=\"166513:
A Malay can enroll in HCI. However, he would have to take HCL / CL as the mother tongue (in HCI case, only HCL). The normal Malay mother tongue won’t be available. If he has not taken HCL / CL in his primary school, it will probably be a no-go.
Wouldn’t other mother tongue (in our case, Malay) be directed to separate classes by MOE at Bishan? Or is it true that he won’t be able to even enroll to HCI as Malay?
It’s the same policy for all SAP schools. -
Check it out tomorrow on Straits Times if keen:
https://postimg.cc/bGY35TPY -
ainunnajib\" post_id=\"2067513\" time=\"1652526143\" user_id=\"166513:
HCI does not offer Malay. If want to take it separately at MOELC, suggest to speak to MOELC if there are such arrangements. My daughter wanted NYGH as a second choice last yr but eventually we decided not to. We didn’t check with MOELC cos notwithstanding, time is too precious to spend on additional travel, even if there were such options.
Wouldn’t other mother tongue (in our case, Malay) be directed to separate classes by MOE at Bishan? Or is it true that he won’t be able to even enroll to HCI as Malay?
After hours, may be busy with CCA (twice a week) and other stuff. Also if take 3rd language at MOELC, may not be in sync with school’s timetable if the language is not the common option. -
ainunnajib\" post_id=\"2067513\" time=\"1652526143\" user_id=\"166513:
Take note.
Wouldn’t other mother tongue (in our case, Malay) be directed to separate classes by MOE at Bishan? Or is it true that he won’t be able to even enroll to HCI as Malay?
There is a difference, between Hwa Chong (Secondary school section)
And
Hwa Chong (Junior College section)
What's the difference?
1)
Hwa Chong (SECONDARY school Section) only take in Sec 1 students, whose Mother Tongue is Chinese.
Why ?
Because
Hwa Chong is a SAP school.
Across the board, ALL SAP Secondary schools in Singapore only admit students whose Mother tongue is Chinese. So, to answer your question, if your son's Mother Tongue is Not Chinese, but Malay / Tamil / Hindi, etc. sorry, he won't even qualify for admission. Hwa Chong is out, for all Sec 1 students who never taken PSLE Chinese before.
Thus,
can u please choose some other schools instead, but not Hwa Chong for your son, since his Mother tongue is not even Chinese, to begin with ? You can consider other schools. There are other good Secondary schools around too.
First & foremost,
please google to understand what is the definition of a SAP school for,
and the purpose behind why MOE want to build SAP schools in Singapore for.
2) Hwa Chong (the A-level Junior College section), they don't bother about Mother tongue or exempted.
The only thing they concerned with is,
by the end of Sec 4,
if u still have not cleared your Higher Mother tongue with a lowest / minimum D7 grade, then when come to JC (1), u will still need to clear your Mother tongue.
So, if you are a Non-Chinese, but if you have already cleared your Higher Mother tongue (Malay) by the end of Sec 4, can u still apply to Hwa Chong (Junior College section) ?
Of course, you can ! -
ainunnajib\" post_id=\"2067513\" time=\"1652526143\" user_id=\"166513:
Don't get yourself confused with MOELC (Bishan).
Wouldn’t other mother tongue (in our case, Malay) be directed to separate classes by MOE at Bishan? Or is it true that he won’t be able to even enroll to HCI as Malay?
1) What is MOELC (Bishan), for ?
Answer -
To teach Secondary school students, 3rd language. MOELC (Bishan) don't teach 2nd language (Mother Tongue). It is not the responsibility of MOELC (Bishan) to go and teach 2nd language.
Again,
one need to be clear, what is the difference between 2nd language vs. 3rd language.
2)
So, where do students learn their 2nd language, from ?
Answer -
They learn in schools.
They learn 2nd language (Mother tongue) in Secondary schools' premises itself, from Monday to Friday,
either
during built-in school regular curriculum time from ( 7.45 am to 2 pm dismissal time )
Or
they learn after school, after their lunch.
======≈================
3)
For MOELC (Bishan), to learn a 3rd language, how many times per week do students go down to learn 3rd language like
German / Japanese / French ?
Answer :
only ONCE a week !
Key word is \"ONCE\".
4) in contrast, to learn a 2nd language called \"Mother tongue \", how many times or in Total, examine your 2022 Sec 1 timetable, go & count the Total number of lessons your Secondary school premises have assigned for your Mother Tongue, per week ?
Very heavy, isn't it ?
Definitely, more than once lesson assigned, across Monday to Friday, per week. -
phtthp\" post_id=\"2067594\" time=\"1652636046\" user_id=\"35251:
Thank you so much for your detailed answers! And others who have replied and advised too 🙏 now I feel embarrassed and naïve to have assumed that SAP schools are suitable for non-Chinese speaking students too, in hindsight this should have been a basic knowledge.
Don't get yourself confused with MOELC (Bishan).
1) What is MOELC (Bishan), for ?
Answer -
To teach Secondary school students, 3rd language. MOELC (Bishan) don't teach 2nd language (Mother Tongue). It is not the responsibility of MOELC (Bishan) to go and teach 2nd language.
Again,
one need to be clear, what is the difference between 2nd language vs. 3rd language.
2)
So, where do students learn their 2nd language, from ?
Answer -
They learn in schools.
They learn 2nd language (Mother tongue) in Secondary schools' premises itself, from Monday to Friday,
either
during built-in school regular curriculum time from ( 7.45 am to 2 pm dismissal time )
Or
they learn after school, after their lunch.
======≈================
3)
For MOELC (Bishan), to learn a 3rd language, how many times per week do students go down to learn 3rd language like
German / Japanese / French ?
Answer :
only ONCE a week !
Key word is \"ONCE\".
4) in contrast, to learn a 2nd language called \"Mother tongue \", how many times or in Total, examine your 2022 Sec 1 timetable, go & count the Total number of lessons your Secondary school premises have assigned for your Mother Tongue, per week ?
Very heavy, isn't it ?
Definitely, more than once lesson assigned, across Monday to Friday, per week.
We were too laser-focused on optimizing for Informatics Olympiad learning journey, and we saw that all Gold medals in NOI are taken by only 3 schools: NUSH, RI and HCI: https://noisg.comp.nus.edu.sg/noi/noiTwentyFifthResults.php
Thus we automatically hoped & assumed HCI can be one of our options in DSA, especially since it's the only one explicitly with Infocomm talent area. Thanks for preventing us from making this dumb mistake of wasting one DSA slot 😂
Now it become clear that one parent's advise was spot on: consider ACS-I and NJC-Sec. They're apparently the only other options aside from RI, NUSH, SST, when we filter by IP/Specialised + non-SAP + relevant DSA area. Temasek JC-Sec and Victoria School were there too but way too far for us who live in the west.
https://postimg.cc/23CBc2D7 -
ainunnajib\" post_id=\"2067597\" time=\"1652656293\" user_id=\"166513:
Glad to be of help! To add on to my earlier comment on ACSI, please do note that ACSI is a Methodist school. I'm assuming your family is Muslim so this is an important point to consider. However, there are students of all religions - including Muslims - in the ACS schools whether primary or secondary, so it comes down to your personal comfort level. The focus is very much on character development first, academics second. School is also v strong in sports. Do note that ACSI also has a robotics DSA domain too, if you are able to consider that.
Thank you so much for your detailed answers! And others who have replied and advised too 🙏 now I feel embarrassed and naïve to have assumed that SAP schools are suitable for non-Chinese speaking students too, in hindsight this should have been a basic knowledge.
We were too laser-focused on optimizing for Informatics Olympiad learning journey, and we saw that all Gold medals in NOI are taken by only 3 schools: NUSH, RI and HCI: https://noisg.comp.nus.edu.sg/noi/noiTwentyFifthResults.php
Thus we automatically hoped & assumed HCI can be one of our options in DSA, especially since it's the only one explicitly with Infocomm talent area. Thanks for preventing us from making this dumb mistake of wasting one DSA slot 😂
Now it become clear that one parent's advise was spot on: consider ACS-I and NJC-Sec. They're apparently the only other options aside from RI, NUSH, SST, when we filter by IP/Specialised + relevant DSA area. Temasek JC-Sec and Victoria School were there too but way too far for us who live in the west.
https://postimg.cc/23CBc2D7 -
bbbay\" post_id=\"2067533\" time=\"1652573185\" user_id=\"175278:
Mostly about DSA-JC, rather than DSA-Sec. IMO can skip spending the $1 (or has the price gone up?)
Check it out tomorrow on Straits Times if keen:
https://postimg.cc/bGY35TPY -
Mima\" post_id=\"2067510\" time=\"1652525169\" user_id=\"194754:
For obvious reasons,
Any specific reason for not applying to SST?
P6 students will not apply for SST DSA, if
1) if they possess a deep passion for Triple Pure Science
Because
SST at Upper Sec 3 level, forbid Triple Science subject combination.
This is the school rule, set by SST school team of management.
SST criteria for Sec 3 is
maximum, students are allowed to only take max. 8 subject combination, including one compulsory \"Applied\" Science subject, in case there are students who want to choose the Polytechnic route, after their O level.
2) which Secondary school in Singapore, then permit students to pursue Triple Science from Sec 1, Term 1, day 1 onwards ?
Out of more than 100+ Secondary schools that are available in Singapore, answer is :
NUS High.
Why ?
Because
NUS High is a \"Specialized\" school, for those who are deeply passionate about Maths & Science.
Not even RI, nor Hwa Chong.
When do RI (IP) and Hwa Chong (IP) then allow students to pursue Triple Science ?
only when they come to Sec 3 level.
Not at Sec 1 level.
SST,
when come to Sec 3,
can only do maximum (Double Science + one more additional Applied Science).
Eg.
take Pure (Physics + Chem) + an additional Biotechnology ( an Applied Science subject).
Actually,
SST is just like another typical O-level school. However, what sets SST apart or make her stand out, is because
a) SST students take \"Applied\" Science subject
+
b) her curriculum is a bit unique, more interesting, has more practical, commercial value oriented so that the structure is not so theortical based, more hands-on projects involvement.
3) students who are not interested in taking O level National exam, will also boycott SST. They much prefer to target IP schools instead,
because
It is compulsory for
All Sec 4 SST students, to sit for their O level.
4) distance travelling to and fro everyday, from home to SST.
Example
If I were to stay in Pasir Ris, at extreme end in the east, I won't choose SST, located in the west.
===========================
So, how to make decision, whether u want SST, or not ?
5) first of all, decide.
You want to sit for O-level, or don't want to ?
If don't want, then choose IP.
6) But within IP itself, again, need to make another second layer of decision making.
Within IP itself,
you want 6 years
Curriculum (IB or A-level) ?
If want IB,
then go IB (SJI / ACSI / MGS)
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