SINGAPORE - Two categories of the Edusave Award - Edusave Merit Bursary and Edusave Good Progress Award - will be extended to polytechnics from 2017.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) will also introduce a new Edusave Skills Award in 2017 for polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) that will recognise non-academic excellence such as achievements at conference and competitions.

The extension of the two awards will benefit 15,000 students each year while the new award will benefit 3,500 students yearly.

These will cost the MOE up to $9 million yearly.

Speaking at an Edusave Award ceremony at North View Primary School in Yishun on Saturday (Jan 9) morning, Acting Minister of Education Ong Ye Kung said polytechnic students should be recognised with Edusave Awards.

"They have also worked hard, achieved good results and made progress," he said.

Before this, the Edusave Award had only covered primary, secondary, junior colleges and ITE.

Mr Ong noted the introduction of the new Edusave Skills Award is timely as Singapore has embarked on a SkillsFuture movement to encourage students and working adults to specialise.

He said the new Edusave Skills Award will further encourage students to master skills.

Meanwhile around 300 students will receive their Edusave Awards on Saturday.

It is the first year the awards are being given out under the new Gambas division in Sembawang Group Representation Constituency (GRC).