IP, IB vs A Levels
-
IP = Integrated Program
The students don’t do ‘O’ level and head straight to ‘A’ level or IB
As anyone who has been a student before knows, Sec 4 year was spent preparing for ‘O’ level exam, drill and drill, and out come the perfect 8A1s, 9A1s etc etc…then wait a few months before enrolling at the JC…and after studying a few more months, time to prepare the ‘A’ level exams again in order to get into unis (local & overseas)
since those kids who are good with the studies are quite surely uni bound, esp those with t-score above 250…and spending lots of time preparing O level and waiting to go JC 1 are time wasted and also had to pace the rest of the O level cohort while they could possibly finish off the O level scope by end of year 3…hence the idea of the “through-train” came about
those smart students can use the time freed up from doing O levels preparation to do in depth subject study, and since no need to drill and prepare to sit O level…they can also advance very quickly through the scope of study instead of waiting for the mandatory 4 year O level track (Singapore MOE mandatory)…
therefore it was a bold but successful implementation of the IP track that comes with enriched curriculum for the kids starting from sec 1 all the way to JC 2, learn more things, do more projects, cover more overseas immersion, more in depth study, partner the uni in research etc while scoring well in the eventual A level still…so the IP track becomes well sought after by parents / kids if the kids’ results are clearly above 250…(top 10%)
and with the intro of IP and through train at the famous JC…it also means entering those JC at year 5 from O level applicants become even much much more difficult because many of the places are already taken by the sec 1 intake with t-score more than 250 or 260 plus plus…resulting in having a ridiculous low L1R5 of 3 points in order to enter HCI & RJC … 3 points from 6 subjects…
hence the rush for IP places at PSLE level, with kids preparing for DSA from Pri 5 onwards, hoping to secure confirmed offer from the IP schools even before taking the PSLE!!!
and also some IP schools have starting “recruiting” the kids from Pri 5 onward…and soft sell / hard sell the schools to them … -
I guess that’s life. For students taking ‘O’ levels, you really need to be the top 0.something per cent if u wanna get into top jc. You must have all A1, high cca points etc. Good luck and study hard!!!
-
IB may not be as good as what schools may ‘sweet talk’ for local students in Singapore. Students pay $400 upwards of school fees per month which is not helping with the cost of education. The cost of education should not be raised as an expensive education is really not necessary for a pre-u qualification. The IB programme can be left to international schools, and students who intend to study overseas and whose parents are well able and willing to support them financially should they study overseas after completing IB.
The ‘A’ levels is still a well-recognised qualification in Singapore. Therefore, it is not necessary to do the IB. Local universities recognise the ‘A’ levels, and the Singapore workplace also recognise the ‘N’, ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels.
Also, the IB programme is not necessarily meant to be an elitist programme. Do not just listen to the ‘sweet talk’ of schools promoting the IB programme. The IB programme is meant for students who are average and above, and is meant to be a programme that international schools can run and most international students can do.
Running the IB programme as an elitist programme only increases the pressure on students to perform well. Thus, not only are students paying much much more (and emptying their parents’ bank accounts), they could also have additional goals set by the school to try to meet. For example, the school may set the target that all students should get at least 38 points (out of 45) for the IB diploma, and that all students should get either 6 or 7 (where 7 is the highest grade) for all their subjects. I seriously doubt that this is the right mindset to approach education because education should not be demanding and wanting results from students. Rather, education should be a positive experience where learning is enriching. -
Considering that most of the students are under the MOE independent school scholarship, that would lessen the cost by half. The school fees at other independent JC like RI is not cheap either. But it’s justified because A levels cannot be left to international schools?
The school may set the target because they believe that is what the students are capable of achieving. The boys all come in with PSLE score of 255+, and the O level students come in with an average of L1R5 3, which shows that they have the aptitude to perform that well. The school is only setting the target as a goal for the students to work towards, and give them a push in the right direction. It’s also what’s best for the students. With such a competitive admission requirement to universities now, I don’t think any student vying for top universities would be contended with just 38 points anyway.
Besides, which top schools in Singapore are not setting targets for the students? Primary schools set PSLE targets, express track secondary schools set O level targets, and JCs set A level targets for students. So it is not the inherent flaw of the IB program as this is ubiquitous in the whole island. -
radiantmum:
PM's son switched to A level at RJCinsider:
In my opinion, IB is more valuable than A levels. I prefer their subjects more than those offered in the A levels in a sense coz more 'well rounded' (A levels still very academic based which to me is more towards 读死书、死读书、读书死).
& I am one of those churned \"products\" At least can laugh at myself, not so bad lah.
My preference is IB too for DS ... then again - it'll be ages down the road.
PM's son was from IB, that says something as well isn't it?
===
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Li Hongyi (born 1 May 1987) is the second eldest son of Lee Hsien Loong, the current Prime Minister of Singapore, from his second marriage with Ho Ching.
Education
Li studied in the Gifted Education Programme at Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) before attending Raffles Junior College. In 2006, he received a Singapore Public Service Commission merit scholarship to pursue a degree in Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In the 2008-2009 academic year, he went to study at Trinity College, Cambridge (where his father obtained his bachelor degree) as an exchange student through the Cambridge-MIT Exchange program.
=== -
harini:
Is it true that RI may be offering IB soon ?
Highly unlikely. From what I've heard, they would like different independent schools to offer different programs so it's likely that RI and HCI will continue with the A Levels in the foreseeable future. -
There is less emphasis on Chinese Language in IB.
-
PSLE 2012:
I think RI wanted to since its well known but guess approval by MOE not granted.harini:
Is it true that RI may be offering IB soon ?
Highly unlikely. From what I've heard, they would like different independent schools to offer different programs so it's likely that RI and HCI will continue with the A Levels in the foreseeable future.
http://rafflespa-pri-message.blogspot.sg/2010/06/ask-mrs-lim-may-2010.html -
I have gone through the IB programme. The way ACS (Indep) runs the IB programme is very pressuring towards students, seems to be run very much like ‘A’ levels. Class tests, exams, graded coursework, think of topics for graded coursework, focus camp, etc. I think the thinking of topics for graded coursework is the headache part. I don’t think a preuniversity course is worth the headaches of thinking of your own topics for graded coursework, and not only that, the topics must be relevant and allow one to fulfil the marking criteria. Singapore ‘A’ levels underwent a revamp a couple of years ago which shows changes can be made to the Singapore ‘A’ levels. As the ‘A’ levels is widely recognised locally and overseas, the ‘A’ levels is a fully viable option. Therefore, I would recommend the ‘A’ levels as I feel that the IB experience is not better. More expensive, and not better, so why waste money??
-
What are IB-options for students unable to get in good JC because L1R5 highly driven by score in Maths & Science subjets.
Have listed some… add new one offering
ACS-I
SJI
All international schools
Global indian school -
though this is an old post, but it makes me understand where does psle stress come from
-
Serafiel:
Anyone knows what CLEP stands for? Thkslol, I got 7A1s and 3A2s and just managed to squeeze in HC lor.
It's really very hard to get in here.
She should have just taken CLEP.
Because 3pters are a lot... -
appreciate detailed analysis & info provided
-
phtthp:
appreciate detailed analysis & info provided
Wow....this is an very old posting of vks2010....guess was one of his longest posting.....
Indeed detailed info....informative for parents who are unsure of IP route for their kids.... -
ruohoo97:
though this is an old post, but it makes me understand where does psle stress come from
Of course stressed lah. Assuming the cohort size is 45,000, of which 50% are boys, and with RI intake at 450, u need to be the TOP 2% in SG to get in, or wait for kids in this 2% to give up their seats coz they rather be somewhere else.
Top 2% leh!! How not to be stressed? -
Nebbermind:
But surely RI hasn't shrunk in % terms, meaning that in the past, did it take more than the top 2% of students? I think it's aspirations that have grown, not that the chances of getting into the handful of top schools has decreased.ruohoo97:
though this is an old post, but it makes me understand where does psle stress come from
Of course stressed lah. Assuming the cohort size is 45,000, of which 50% are boys, and with RI intake at 450, u need to be the TOP 2% in SG to get in, or wait for kids in this 2% to give up their seats coz they rather be somewhere else.
Top 2% leh!! How not to be stressed? -
But IP is risky in that if you screw up your As you don’t have an O level cert to fall back on.
-
Then just repeat your A levels.
-
Nowaday, even a degree don’t guarantee you anything. Don’t have to mention about A level cert. Is even more true with O level cert.
-
jtoh:
Then just repeat your A levels.
I dont think so easy to repeat esp if you are a boy and your results are neither here or there.....NS is pending.....