Two specialised secondary schools in Singapore will offer students five new skills-based subjects that are aligned with industry growth areas, according to the Ministry of Education.
The subjects are mechanical design and automation, culinary and restaurant operations, retail and e-commerce, and two new areas that were chosen to meet growing industry needs – Internet of Things applications and mobile web applications.
Students at Crest Secondary and Spectra Secondary will also receive a new qualification for the skills subjects called the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) Skills Subject Certificate (ISSC).
The schools cater to Normal (Technical) students who currently have to specialise in just one skills area. With the curriculum update, students in upper secondary can take two skills subjects, on top of core subjects like mathematics and science.
The new certification aims to provide students with a more broad-based curriculum that widens exposure to different industry growth areas, MOE said.
The ISSC will replace the current ITE Skills Certificate (ISC) courses in facility services, mechanical servicing, hospitality services and retail services.
“It gives students more opportunities to try certain skills here first and have a broader perspective of what's available at ITE,” said Spectra Secondary principal Krishnan Aravinthan.
Crest Secondary principal Seet Tiat Hee said students can actually go out to work with their ISC qualification, but many want to continue studying instead. He added that more than 90% of students from Crest move on to ITE.
“They are doing well, capable, and we thought there's a need to stretch them further, let them explore their interests and expose them to different areas,” Seet said.
The changes were a result of a review of the two specialised schools completed earlier this year, reported The Straits Times.
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