Polytechnic students VS. ITE and JC students

Poly VS. ITE/JC?

As you can see from my title of my post for this week, you can get the rough idea what I am gonna say this time round. Before I get started, I am not going against the government on how the education system work or neither do I gonna disgrace any group of people or individuals. This will be coming based on my views and what I observed ever since I started my tertiary education. So if there are any critics that happen to be similar to what you are facing, I hereby ensure that everything is purely coincidence. If I were to hurt any of you individuals, I apologies.

I am 100% guarantee that many of you readers are aware of how the great negative impact on our education systems are affecting our society. I know that our education is tip top the best in the world, claiming by many renowned education specialist and international University and business companies. Many are eyeing on Singapore as we produce skilled workers that bring highest level of efficiency, innovative ideas and productivity. However, the streaming policies that the government are boasting about are the one that change on how our society thinks. If you may not know what the streaming policies is, it is a system that classify the students into different categories based on their performance in their studies as well their CCA and school contributions. Like in primary school, students are classified into the mainstream and elementary stream. The majority of the students whom seem to be able to do well and cope with their studies are able to stay on the mainstream. Those who are not, will be advised to opt for the elementary stream. The main stream are basically where students will do normal PSLE and have an opportunity to go to either express stream or academic stream. For the elementary stream on the other hand, have only one choice, which is the technical stream once they enter secondary school. They will be doing special PSLE paper where it is easier than the mainstream paper. With this, it is 50%-70% confirm on how the future of the students will be. Now the government saw this dramatic impact that the system made, the MOE announced 4 years ago that they will be introducing the foundation system. This is where the students can still do their mainstream papers while their weaker subject will change to the elementary level.

However, from the introduction that I had written above, it may sound that clever students get all the best things. But that's not all the case. In tertiary education, ITE and JC students receive many benefits than the Poly students. For an example, the transportation fare. ITE and JC students pay far more cheaper than the Poly students. Poly students are paying the adult fare while they are paying the student fare. I had done my research and in recent years, petitions had been made to the government regarding the high transportation fees. However, the responses made by the government really shocked me. They said that they had funded a huge sum of money to reduce the transportation fare of the poly students. Therefore, they couldn't afford to further reduce the cost. Ladies and gentlemen, u can see here. The statement is really unacceptable. We are still paying the adult fare. The concession pass are still expensive. AND! How about the ITE and JC students? Why don't they pay for adult fare too? You can calculate that for me, i pay $52.50 for my bus concession pass while the ITE and JC students pay $27.70, a difference of $25 per monthly basis. In a year, I will be ended up paying $300 more.

Not only that, if you are to go to Ang Mo Kio or Simei ITE campus, you may be shock on how nice the building is. If it is to be compared to my school, the ITE campus can be easily mistaken as a hotel or an University. Funds that were given to the different Poly's are inefficient. Thus, each different Poly have to set aside a certain amount to upgrade the school facilities. This may take time to collect the desired amount. Making the Polytechnic fallen behind the ITE in terms of the campus facilities offered. In addition, the fees for Poly are far too expensive.

Well, you may say that Poly are mid-government school where government will only supply monetary funds to each different poly and letting the school to have their own system of operations. That is why many people may assume that the differences are acceptable and thus doing nothing about it. However, when i look upon this issues, it seems very silly to me. Well, 50%-%70 of the students between age 17-20 are in polytechnic while the rest are in JC, ITE and private institution. People pay taxes not for advancement only in the ITE and JC education, but also for the 5 various Polytechnics. This conservatism thinking of the government has to change. The government have to treat Poly, ITE an JC students equally. No matter it is a  fully or half or none government school. Come on! We pay taxes too.