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MOE makes changes to DSA scheme, university admission scoring system

Ministry of Education headquarters (PHOTO: Getty Images)
Ministry of Education headquarters (PHOTO: Getty Images)

The Ministry of Education (MOE) has announced on Wednesday (7 November) changes to the Direct School Admission (DSA) scheme as well as the university admission scoring system, in order to encourage students to explore different pathways in nurturing their potential talents.

Online DSA application

It has simplified the DSA application process from next year. All schools offering Secondary 1 places through DSA will use a centralised portal where students can apply online for multiple schools.

Since the application is free of charge, this removes a financial barrier to students with talent and potential. Also, as the students’ school-based achievements will be shared automatically with the schools they apply to, it also removes the need for students to submit testimonials, certificates or transcripts.

Each applicant can choose up to three schools and three talent areas in their DSA application. They can visit the schools’ website or their open houses to find out more about their programmes.

O-Level weightage dropped for polytechnic applicants

As for the university admission scoring system, the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) will be dropping the 20 per cent weightage on GCE O-Level results for polytechnic graduate applicants. Instead, the applicants will be assessed primarily on their Grade Point Average (GPA).

This change will come into effect in 2020, and MOE believes that it will better recognise late-bloomers and those who have done well in polytechnics, as well as support the more diverse profile of polytechnic upgraders today.

Students can still submit their O-Level results which are relevant to the course of study as additional information in their application.

When the change is implemented in 2020, all six autonomous universities in Singapore – NUS, NTU, Singapore Management University, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore University of Technology and Design, and Singapore University of Social Sciences – will not put compulsory weightage on O-Level results when evaluating polytechnic applicants.

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