THE PIONEER batch of 88 National University of Singapore (NUS) High School of Mathematics and Science students graduated on Monday and all of them will get places in universities here or overseas.

Principal Hang Kim Hoon said he is confident that their NUS High School diplomas will earn all of them places in universities.

Some of the students have already been admitted to top universities such as King's College London, Cambridge and Oxford universities

Dr Hang said the students' achievements were poignant especially because they took the risk by becoming the first cohort to start on an experimental path of education which specialised in math and science and did away with the O-levels and A-levels.

The students entered NUS High School as year three students when it was still at its temporary location at Mount Sinai. The school has since moved to its permanent campus at Clementi Avenue.

In their three years at the school, they were exposed to a broad-based education which gave them grounding not only in math and science subjects but also allowed them to explore interests in humanities and the fine arts.

The students also worked with mentors from research institutes such as Agency for Science, Technology and Research and Defence Science Technology Agency on research projects based on their interests.

Gifted students were given opportunities to reach their potential. For example, 19 students from the graduating cohort took up university-level modules offered at NUS.