This 'overwhelming' response to the first gerontology course, which will arm graduates with the knowledge and skills to target a greying population, caught Temasek Polytechnic by surprise.

Course manager Chan Lai Pheng said the 40 places were more than 20 times oversubscribed. The three-year diploma course, which starts on Monday, has had its intake increased to 48.

Read the full report in Monday's edition of The Straits Times.