A NUMBER of schools here will get new principals who have been appointed by the Ministry of Education.

Among the 50 newly- appointed principals are two principal-designates who will lead two new schools .

Mr Wee Tat Chuen, 37, will helm Assumption Pathway School (APS) which caters to students who fail the PSLE.

The school, which starts next year, replaces Assumption Vocational Institute after (AVI) a $28 million revamp.

APS will offer an improved curriculum and smaller classes.

Mr Wee, who left Northlight School to joined AVI in September, has started work on the upcoming changes.

He said his top priority is to identify his students' strengths and talents and help them go further in that area.

From next year, all year one students at the school will embark on industrial attachments that will help them see the relevance of their vocational training in the real world, said Mr Wee.

'It will allow them to make a more informed choice when they choose their specialisations in year two,' said Mr Wee.

To support vocational training on campus, a new hairdressing salon and baking kitchen will be added in the school's premises next January.

Of the 50 principals appointed, 27 are new to the job. The others are former principals or ministry officials. Twenty-one principals will be retiring at the end of this year.