SINGAPORE: Raffles Institution (RI) and Raffles Junior
College (RJC) will officially merge next year. The merged school
will be known as Raffles Institution.
The merger is part of plans to strengthen Raffles Institution's
six-year Integrated Programme, making it more seamless for its
students.
The two school campuses are already side by side, with almost all
RI boys progressing to RJC in its Integrated Programme that skips
the GCE "O" Levels.
The new entity will be headed by the current RJC principal, Mrs Lim
Lai Cheng, marking the first time Raffles Institution will have a
female principal.
Mrs Lim said: "Students can expect to benefit from a wider range of
programmes and co-curricular activities. Teachers can look forward
to stronger professional development programmes."
Intake sizes will not be affected, which means the same number of
places will still be available for application for students from
other schools. The merged school will continue to admit students in
Year 3 through direct school admission, as well as in Year 5 for
students with GCE "O" Level results.
There will be one board of governors for the merged school,
including representatives from the Raffles Girls' School (RGS)
board.
RGS has declined to be part of the merger. It prefers to build on
its own strengths, but will continue to work closely with the
merged institution.
RGS board chairman Justice Judith Prakash said: "We found that for
adolescent girls, they thrive best in an all-girls environment,
where they would be more adventurous and take up leadership
positions without being diffident.
"By the time the girls go on to junior college level, they are able
to hold their own with the boys, and not be held back."
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/382479/1/.html
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_289217.html
