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Media contacts
Ms Daphne Lye Assistant Manager Corporate Communications Office Nanyang Technological University Tel : 6790 6685 H/P : 9436 1227 Email: xllye@ntu.edu.sg	Ms Lim Le-Anne Administrative Officer Office of Corporate Communications Republic Polytechnic Tel : 6510 3021 H/P : 94788824 Email: lim_le_anne@rp.edu.sg	Mr Gerard Wong Manager Marketing Communications Singapore Sports School Tel : 6761 8678 H/P : 9780 8640 Email: Gerard@sportsschool.edu.sg

Singapore, 22 October 2004

INITIATIVE BY NTU, SPORTS SCHOOL AND REPUBLIC POLY SUPPORTS SPORTING EXCELLENCE

An initiative by Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore Sports School (SSS) and Republic Polytechnic (RP) looks set to foster sporting excellence in Singapore.

From 2005, Secondary Three SSS students may apply for admission to RP even without a GCE 'O' level certificate. This will allow SSS students the flexibility to focus on a sporting meet even if it coincides with the GCE 'O' level examination.

Instead, assessment for enrollment into RP will be based on SSS’ recommendations as well as RP’s entrance assessments. This is premised on the fact that SSS adopts a curricula structure and assessment rubric that are very similar to RP’s.

SSS graduates who do well in RP can enter NTU on the strength of their Sports School and RP results. NTU will apply special flexibility provided under the discretionary criteria for their admission. All the NTU Schools and courses of study will be open to SSS-RP graduates who meet the pre-requisites.

To help SSS graduates when they enrol at RP and NTU, both RP and NTU will also implement a more flexible curriculum for these student athletes in keeping with the demands of an athlete's busy schedule. This will allow the student-athletes to pursue their respective diploma and degree, even as they strive for sporting excellence.

NTU will admit SSS-RP graduates for the first time in 2010. These students can choose from a wide array of degree programmes including Art, Design and Media, Humanities and Social Sciences, Business and Accountancy, Communication Studies, Biological, Physical and Mathematical Sciences and the traditionally popular Engineering courses.

Says Dr Su Guaning, President, NTU, "This initiative is in line with NTU's efforts to recognise excellence beyond academic achievements. This collaboration enables the university to show support for sporting talent in Singapore. Through this partnership, we hope to create a community of students with diverse talents and strengths, and transform the sporting culture in NTU.”

Adds Mr Moo Soon Chong, Principal of the Singapore Sports School, “This partnership with Republic Polytechnic and Nanyang Technological University is a fantastic piece of news for the Sports School. It means that one major obstacle in our students’ development into top athletes has effectively been removed.

“Our students will no longer need to face the dilemma of sacrificing their participation in major sporting events such as the South-east Asia or Asian Games for their 'O' levels. This was a perennial problem faced by many top student athletes.

“Now that our students know that their academic futures will not hinge solely on just one examination, they will be able to train with their minds at ease.”

RP is expected to admit its first batch of SSS students in 2007 as the first batch of SSS students, numbering some 40 students, is expected to complete their Secondary Four education in 2006.

Comments Prof Low Teck Seng, Principal and CEO of RP, “Republic Polytechnic is very glad to be part of this agreement between the Singapore Sports School and Nanyang Technological University. I believe that this will encourage more flexibility in the way athletes can compete in their sports as well as get an education that tests daily performance in class as well as project work, rather than examination grades alone. RP’s pedagogical approach is fully able to create an environment where learning is holistic and diverse and we are confident that Singapore’s next generation of young sporting talents will emerge from this agreement.”

The new partnership is well-received by both SSS students and their parents. “I’m very excited by the news,” said Secondary 2 student Danny Seah who is a member of the Track and Field Academy.

“I was apprehensive about how the 'O' levels will affect my training when I’m in Secondary 4 because I know that my training will get tougher and tougher in order for me to become a better athlete.

“Of course, this does not mean I will take it easy in Secondary 4 but it does mean I won’t be affected by the pressure of studying for the O levels.”

Madam Tan Lay Eng, whose daughter, Valerie, is a Secondary 1 student and a sailor at the Sports School added: “I am very happy that the School has made good on its promises to provide more academic options for our children.

“We will leave it to Valerie to decide if she wants to pursue a polytechnic education eventually but the opportunity to continue with the flexible curriculum that she is enjoying and to balance both her studies and her sailing is definitely an attractive factor.”

The MOU signing ceremony is held at the Singapore Sports School today, 22 October 2004. Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, and Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry is the Guest-of-Honour.

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About Nanyang Technological University

The Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is a top-tier university, ranked among the best science and technological universities in Asia. It has a business school that is consistently ranked among the top ten in Asia.

With an international faculty of over 1,500 and an undergraduate and graduate enrolment of about 25,000, NTU positions itself as a global university of excellence and is committed to its mission of Educating Leaders and Advancing Knowledge for Singapore and Beyond.

NTU is on its way to becoming a comprehensive university by 2005 with the setting up of three new Schools – the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the School of Art, Design and Media, and the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences. The university offers a broad-based curriculum, which focuses on the development of global views, entrepreneurship and adaptability, through the following schools:

1. College of Engineering, which consists of five schools:

- Civil and Environmental Engineering

- Computer Engineering

- Electrical and Electronic Engineering

- Materials Engineering

- Mechanical and Production Engineering

2. Nanyang Business School

3. School of Biological Sciences

4. School of Communication and Information

5. School of Humanities and Social Sciences

6. School of Art, Design and Media (to be established by 2005)

7. School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (to be established by 2005)

For more information, visit http://www.ntu.edu.sg /.

About Republic Polytechnic

The first educational institution in Singapore to fully adopt the Problem-Based Learning approach, The Republic is a progressive polytechnic with three schools offering six diploma courses in Engineering, Information & Communications Technology, and Applied Science. The Republic is committed to nurturing innovation and entrepreneurial learning in an environment that develops problem-solving process skills and a life-long learning attitude. Its holistic, broad-based curriculum, covering culture, enterprise development, and personal development, prepares students for an active, meaningful role in society. The Republic strives for excellence by achieving various national and international accreditations, e.g. People Developer Standards, ISO9001, ISO14001, OHSAS 18001 and the Family Friendly Employer award.

For more information, visit http://www.rp.edu.sg /.

About Singapore Sports School

The Singapore Sports School is a specialised independent school operating under the auspices of the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS). The School was built upon the recommendation of the Committee on Sporting Singapore (CoSS) in 2000.

The Committee observed that talented student athletes often find it difficult to balance their sports training with their studies. Many eventually give up sports at a young age as a result.

As such, it recommended that a sports school be set up to provide a flexible academic and sports training environment to help these students to balance their studies and sports and develop their potential to the fullest.

The School was officially opened by Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong on 2 April 2004. Apart from offering specialised training in athletics, badminton, bowling, football, netball, sailing, swimming and table-tennis, the School is also committed to providing a top-notch holistic education that will ignite its students’ passion for learning, nurture their critical, creative and entrepreneurial abilities and develop their academic potential to the fullest.

For more information, visit http://ww.sportsschool.edu.sg