Education@Singapore
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The last five years have seen students flocking to Singapore for higher studies. What makes education in the Lion City so special? Read on...
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The Singapore Tourism Board, Education Services explains about the Singapore education at an exhibition held in Chennai recently. Photo: V. Ganesan.
Singapore is fast emerging as the destination of choice of those aspiring for higher education. The number of students migrating to Singapore has increased considerably during the past five years and is all set to go further up.
The main attractions of studying in Singapore are the high standards of education, the scholarship or tuition grant scheme offered by the Government and the placement possibilities.
Students have to appear for an entrance examination to join the courses offered by the universities and polytechnics. Proficiency in English is imperative to appear for the examination that is usually conducted in Thiruvananthapuram and Chennai. Students below 24 who have secured 75 per cent marks in SSLC and those studying for or have passed Plus Two/Degree are eligible for admission to the institutions.
The three major universities in Singapore - the National University of Singapore, the Nanyang Technological University and the Singapore Management University - offer 100 per cent scholarship or tuition grant with stipend. In addition, there are five polytechnics that offer a variety of courses including hospitality management, health sciences and marine engineering. The tourism courses run by these institutions are in great demand as the job prospects are very high. Students who gain admission to these polytechnics too are eligible for 80 per cent scholarship.
The educational institutions in Singapore are controlled by the Government; there are semi-Government and autonomous polytechnics as well. According to the rules, students who avail themselves of the tuition grant are bound to work in Singapore for at least three years. However, the tuition grant will not be deducted from their salary. Singapore, which has achieved remarkable progress in all fields, lacks the manpower to exploit the country's resources and that is why it is encouraging deserving students, says T.M.S. Kutty, a Thiruvananthapuram-based higher education consultant. "The Singapore Government holds our educational institutions in high esteem and has a very good opinion about the standard of students from Kerala. Keralites usually fare well in the entrance examinations held in January and April every year and almost all those who have studied in Singapore are well-placed, says Mr. Kutty.
Students can find part-time jobs and be self-reliant too. They are not allowed to work during the first semester, but can do part-time jobs and earn a decent income for their fees and accommodation. The laboratories and workshops attached to the educational institutions are well-equipped and the internship that is part of every course helps enhance their skills.
Reputed universities in various countries have opened off-campus centres in Singapore and students from Kerala now opt to study there since they can undergo various courses at a moderate cost. Frequent flights from Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi have made Singapore more accessible. In the wake of the uncertainty in the higher education sector in Kerala and considering the hefty fees charged by professional colleges in the neighbouring States, students generally prefer Singapore where they get good education that is affordable too.
N. J. NAIR
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