Tuesday, November 09, 2004
Read the article below.. then u'll knw why i go to private.. i go private NOT becoz I failed my Os..
Read on
Adapted from The Straits Times November 9 2004
Mansi Maheshwari attended Raffles Girls secondary School and like, most of her schmates, did well enough at the O levels to join a junior college.
But she surprised everyone by embarking on a degree course at the privately-run Management Development Institute of Singapore(MDIS).
The main attraction was that she would get a degree in mass communications from Oklahama City University in much less time. It would cost more: $30 000 in all three -year course, compared to $18000 if she had gone to JC and obtained a place in NTU mass communication course.
But she plumped for "The most direct route" and her parents backed her. Now, 19 and expecting to graduate at the end of the year(Good for u! Wish u all the best) she is among almost 8000 students pursuing degrees full time at six biggest private schools here.
Six private instituitions are attracting the bulk of full time degree students( who? me? im a part time student) - 4000 at SIM ( I knw Shirin Hushairi is in tat 4000 category), abt a 1000 each at MDIS, INFORMATICS, THAMES and TMC Academy (where Shuiyan studied), 400 at Stansfield and 300 at PSB Academy.
Their degree programmes, offered a partnership with foreign universities, are drawing students in their late teens and early 20s, arriving after their O levels, polytechnic studies or A Levels. Most polytechnic and A Level students come after failing to gain a place at the 3 universities.
So, what accounts for the boom in Singapore students? Cost is one reason. Spending between 20K and 40K over three to four years here is less than going overseas.
But what you hear more often is that the bigger private schools have shaped up markedly, improving on the quality of facilities,courses and teaching. As one student pit it, they have become "more respectable." (But I WAS NEVA RESPECTED! WELL, CHILDISH PPLE WILL NOT RESPECT A UNIVERSITY UNDERGRAD, I PRESUME!)
Informatics/Thames, which specialize in computer and business courses respectively, is moving 60,000 square metre campus in Jurong by March next year. Around the same time, MDIS expects to be at its new Queenstown campus, which will let it take in 15,000 full time students too.
The bigger campuses are no doubt aimed at foreign students, but they are also providing a draw for Singaporeans. But what counts more than facilites is the reputation of the private school's foreign university partner and the quality of teaching.
As for teaching staff, the school must meet the Education Ministry's minimum requirement, that lecturers must have at least a master's degree to teach degree programmes.
The schools say their advances are matched by good results too, and take out advertisements each year to celebrate their top graudates.
Students like Miss Maheshwari are upbeat about their prospects. Now aiming for a job in events management, she said: "I have been trained well and if an employer gives me half a chance, I am sure I can impress him with my skilss and capability."
