THE number of full-time students enrolled in the Institute of
Technical Education (ITE) has grown by nearly 20 per cent - from
20,900 in 2005 to 24,800 now.
This means that the kind of students who in the past would have
dropped out of the school system, gone to work after secondary
school or picked private schools are now opting to further their
education with ITE, said the institution's chief executive Bruce
Poh.
This trend is buoyed by ITE's success in developing
polytechnic-ready students, its course offerings and the
attractiveness of its seven campuses across the island.
Not only has its enrolment gone up, it has produced a steadily
rising number of successful graduates, with many more furthering
their studies in the polytechnics and the universities.
Mr Poh, speaking to The Straits Times on the sidelines of the
ITE graduation ceremony on Wednesday, noted that one in five or 20
per cent of ITE graduates now go on to the polytechnics, up from
just 14 per cent five years ago.
A total of 12,409 students will graduate this year in various
ceremonies held in their respective colleges.
-- ST