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Places filled at new SST

Nov 20, 2009

Overwhelming response to school that offers more hands-on learning

THERE were more pupils than places available when applications opened for the new School of Science and Technology (SST), which starts in January.

About 1,140 students applied for 200 Secondary 1 places through the Direct School Admission (DSA), which allows them to gain provisional entrance based on their talents in academic and non-academic areas such as dance, robotics and niche sports.

All 200 spots were filled. Candidates had to ace a video audition and attend a selection camp where they sat for written tests and performed tasks to gauge their analytical and collaborative skills.

Students at SST will study similar core subjects for the O-level exams as those in other secondary schools do.

But they will do more hands-on learning, and will study subjects in other areas such as business skills, media, design, and environmental science and technology.

They will need a cut-off score of 200 points for their Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) to confirm their places, but the school predicts that all of its provisional students will achieve this.

If any miss the mark, there are another 200 pupils on the waiting list to take their places.

The enthusiastic response means that those with stellar PSLE scores but who did not apply through the DSA are likely to be turned away.

ameltan@sph.com.sg