An Analysis of Singapore's Expanded Direct Admission Scheme

This essay provides a critical analysis of Singapore's Expanded Direct Admission Scheme (DSA). It begins by introducing the scheme, which aims to admit students gifted in sports and arts to top schools. The essay then delves into the ongoing debate surrounding the scheme, including arguments for and against its current structure. Proponents of revision argue that the scheme should exclusively cater to students with non-academic talents to achieve its initial objectives and promote diversity. Conversely, some argue against revision, highlighting the importance of considering academic talents. The essay analyzes these conflicting viewpoints, supported by research, and ultimately suggests the need for a review of the scheme to ensure it serves its intended purpose of nurturing non-academic talents while maintaining a balanced approach that considers diverse student abilities. The essay concludes by emphasizing the importance of the scheme in promoting diversity within top schools and in ensuring the success of students in their areas of talent.

Running head: EXPANDED DIRECT ADMISSION SCHEME IN SINGAPORE
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Expanded Direct Admission Scheme in Singapore
Institution’s Name
Date

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Introduction
One of the best systems that exist in Singapore is their education system. It is ranking as
the best in the world. One of the recent changes the system is the introduction of Direct
Admission Scheme which aims at admitting students gifted non-academically in areas of sports
and arts. However, in recent times, there are debates on whether it is achieving its intended
purpose or if it is time to call for a review on the same. Therefore, in this paper, I intend to take
the position that there is need to examine the scheme so that it achieves its intended purpose
which is to promote students gifted non-academically.
Issues and argument for or against DSA
Firstly, the scheme by definition denotes a program put in place in Singapore to select
students gifted in sports and arts for top schools which will make it possible for them to realize
their full potential (Neihart, & Teo, 2013). In this regard, the students may secure a place in the
top secondary schools without sitting for academic entry examination. In its current state, the
program faces criticism of being diluted by academically gifted students, parents and heads of
schools to erode its initial purpose.
Several issues surround the current expansion of the scheme. Firstly, the government
believes that there is the need for the education system to have a different outlook in the sense
that it does not focus only on the academic ability but also other talents like arts and sports.
Secondly, some citizen of Singapore claims that allowing application from students gifted
academically and those not gifted for the same does not make the scheme serve its initial goal
which was to nurture talents that are not academically (Ponnusamy, & Gopinathan, 2013). Thus,

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below are arguments that show why only those with arts and sports talents must pass through the
expanded scheme.
Firstly, the reason for a further revision is to conform to its initial goal which is to cater
for students with art and sports talents. However, over the recent past, and because the avenue
does not forbid those gifted academically to pass through, is being used for the academically
gifted at the expense of the other group (Christensen, 2015). For instance, the Ministry of
Education (MOE) 2012 research indicates that sixty percent of those admitted via the scheme
would have done the same based on their academic score, and only forty percent represented
students talented in either arts or sports (Tan, 2017). Therefore, it is evident that a program
meant to enable one group to interact and use better resources is open to all parties in a
competitive way. Thus, the emerging trend based on the research calls for a revision of the
scheme to enable only those talented in sports and arts and not the academically gifted ones.
Secondly, the existence of Primary School Leaving Examination gives an opportunity for
the academically gifted students to prove themselves and join top schools. Therefore, there is no
need at all to incorporate them or rather give them a second opportunity to compete in other
settings (Jiayi, 2014). Direct School Admission School expanded scheme ought to solely be left
for those with arts and sports talents to access top schools which will ultimately enable them to
succeed in what they are best at and not academics (Wan, Liu-Loh, Cheng, Khim, Wong,
Krishnan, & Hwan, 2015). The top schools will, therefore, have students that are gifted in
academic, arts and sports.
On the other hand, there are arguments on whether the DSA is a back door for students to
join top schools. For instance, the minister for Education categorically said that the DSA’s aim is

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not to enable students to get into popular schools which they do not deserve. Thus, as much as it
is a good idea to phase out students talented academically in this scheme, those passing through
DSA has to undergo thorough interview and auditions. In addition to that, making the scheme to
be purely for those with talents in arts and sports bring diversity into top schools (Tan, 2013). It
is also emerging that top schools use this system to admit academically gifted students from elite
schools. It is for this reason that the ministry ought to review the system to ensure that only non-
academic talents apply for the same.
On the other hand, it is not prudent to argue that a revision of the scheme must be done to
lock out those gifted academically. Firstly, the process of DSA involves interview, auditions, and
tests. Therefore, in as much as they possess academic talents, they will also be tested on non-
academic talents. Therefore, to a larger extent, revising the scheme to lock them out is a bit
illogical. Additionally, a good education system comprises of arts, sports, and academics.
Therefore, it is worth noting that students with all these qualities are way too desirable and bring
a lot of diversity in a school (Chua, 2016). Lastly, advocating for the interest of one group must
not be by suppressing the other. Therefore, there ought not to be any revision to the current DSA
scheme to make it purely for non–academic talent, but rather, one that embraces all groups and
selects students based on merits.
Conclusion
Expanded DSA is a program in Singapore that aims at increasing the intake of students in
non-academic talents into top secondary schools. However, issues are emerging from the public
as to whether the scheme must involve only those talented non-academically. Some of the
arguments supporting the review argue that revising the scheme will make it possible to achieve

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its initial objective. Additionally, giving room for another party to join the program reduces the
diversity for which the program aims to bring into top schools. On the other hand, not accepting
an application for students gifted academically through DSA is illogical as they will undergo the
same tests to determine their talents in arts and sports. But still, there is need for the scheme to
reserve application for students gifted non-academically as the reasons for the same outweigh the
other.

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References
Christensen, S. (2015). Healthy competition and unsound comparison: reforming educational
competition in Singapore. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 13(4), 553-573.
Chua, J. (2016). Dance education in Singapore: Policy, discourse, and practice. Arts Education
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Jiayi, Z. (2014). Debunking the Myth of the Lazy Malays. Mendaki Occasional Paper Series, 1.
Neihart, M., & Teo, C. T. (2013). Addressing the needs of the gifted in Singapore. Journal for
the Education of the Gifted, 36(3), 290-306.
Ponnusamy, L., & Gopinathan, S. (2013). Singapore: Education in transition. Education in
South-East Asia, 20, 233.
Tan, C. (2017). Private Supplementary Tutoring and Parentocracy in Singapore. Interchange, 1-
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Tan, J. (2013). Singapore: the Malay Ethnic Minority–Playing Perennial Catch-up in
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Wan, M. T., Liu-Loh, M., Cheng, W., Khim, M. T. S., Wong, M. M., Krishnan, M., ... & Hwan,
C. (2015). OUR SCHOOL LEADERS.