Why ITE student cannot get into poly on his own merit and need MP to appeal?

By: M Karthigesu
I refer to West Coast GRC MP Foo Mee Har’s post that she successfully appealed for an ITE (Institute of Technical Education) student to get into a local polytechnic. She said that the student with a Higher NITEC qualification could not qualify to upgrade himself until she appealed for him with some help from the Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills), Mr Ong Ye Kung.
Although it is good that the MP (Member of Parliament) appealed for one of her resident on such a matter as this, many other questions arise.

• Why could not the student with Higher NITEC get into Ngee Ann Polytechnic on his own merit?
• Did the student get into the polytechnic on recommendation by the MP and Education Minister?
• What is the helpful advise Mr Ong gave? For the sake of the other students who may be in a similar predicament, the MP should share this ‘helpful advise’.
• This is one student the MP and the Acting Minister for Education have jointly helped, but how many more such students are out there?

It is often said that Singapore is without any natural resources. It is untrue. Our natural resources are our geographical position and the local population. Our Government must continue to invest heavily in these to add value and make it attractive to the world at large.
As the topic is in the interest of all ITE students in Singapore who may want to pursue higher education, Mr Ong should clarify on the matter.