In the latest response to the shrinking number of
students, 14 pairs of schools will be merged in 2019 - and for the
first time this includes junior colleges.
Serangoon, Tampines, Innova and Jurong JCs will move
into Anderson, Meridian, Yishun and Pioneer respectively, cutting
the number of JCs from 23 to 19. Seven pairs of primary schools and
three pairs of secondary schools will also be merged in what is the
biggest merger exercise in two decades.
The Education Ministry (MOE) explained that it needed
to merge schools due to Singapore's declining birth rate. It said
in the case of a few JCs involved in this merger exercise, the
intakes could fall to as low as 200 or 300 over the next few
years.
In the late-eighties to early-nineties, there were
around 50,000 births each year. But between 1993 and 2002, this
fell about 20 per cent from about 49,000 to 39,000. JC intake is
now expected to drop by a fifth, going from 16,000 in 2010 to
12,800 in 2019.
But the ministry gave the assurance that despite the
mergers, there will be space for every student who qualifies for
JC. MOE also stressed that no teachers will lose their jobs. Those
affected will join the merged schools with their bigger cohort of
students, or be redeployed to other schools or the ministry
headquarters.
To minimise the impact on students, the four junior
colleges which will fold into others in 2019 will not take in a
fresh cohort of JC1 students next year (2018). This means students
will not have to move in 2019, while the current cohort will
complete their A-level studies at the same school.
Mindful of the sentiments of the alumni, MOE said the
history and heritage of schools which will move will be passed down
to future cohorts, and marked at a dedicated heritage space at the
merged schools. The names of the merged schools will be announced
at a later date.
MOE explained that the schools slated for merger were
picked based on various factors on top of falling enrolment. For
example, MOE also took into account their location. In the case of
JCs it was important to maintain a good spread of such schools
across the country. Hence two junior colleges not offering the
integrated programme were selected from each region - west, north,
north-east and east - to form a merger pair. Accessibility
and quality of infrastructure were also considered.
MOE said that unless action was taken, falling cohort
numbers might make it unviable for some schools to offer a broader
range of educational programmes and co-curricular activities to
match varied interests. Siglap Secondary, which was merged with
Coral this year, for instance, was unable to continue with its Red
Cross unit and badminton CCA due to its decreasing cohort size.
Fewer students also mean a less vibrant learning environment.
The mergers will help the school achieve a "critical
mass", and increase ways for students to collaborate, and expand
their CCA and learning options.
Changes in population demographics across different
estates also result in an uneven distribution of students across
primary and secondary schools, MOE pointed out.
As Primary 1 demand in mature estates fall, schools
have to be merged. But in newer estates, new schools may be
needed.
Last year, three new primary schools were opened in
Punggol. And to meet the high demand for school places in Sengkang,
Fern Green Primary will open next year.
Last year, MOE also announced the merger of 22
secondary schools.
ST
