Latest announcement about new Integrated Programme JC holding site: Parents outraged

And so it has been decided that The former Raffles Junior College campus at Mount Sinai will be designated as the holding site for Integrated Programme (IP) students from Catholic High School, Singapore Chinese Girls’ School and CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School come 2017, whilst the new JC's permanent campus in Sin Ming Avenue is expected to open its doors by end of 2019. This after a yo-yo of sorts from the Ministry of Education, when it pulled the plug on having the interim location at the former ITE Bishan campus previously promised to parents. Couple that with a series of timetable delays concerning the completion of the permanent campus, it is hardly any surprise many are livid. Strongly worded responses from two mothers (on Facebook) were captured and presented here to remind MOE about acting responsibly and sensibly:

WE NEED JUSTICE!!! (Credit:Ng Li Li)


" I am a parent of a Catholic High School Year 1 gentleman. When my son heard the news of the new holding site being situated at Mount Sinai, we tried to cushion the negative impact on him by telling him that we once also travelled long distances to and from school when we were studying in polytechnic and university. We were glad he said "No problem, I can do it!!!" And we know he can as it will be another 4 years before he attends classes there.


But then, after we attended the 2 dialogues, we could feel the injustice. Before us, parents of the 2012 batch of PSLE students were promised and sold the idea of a new JC, with state of the art buildings and facilities. They believed MOE wholeheartedly.


A few years later, it was announced that the new campus will not be completed on time, as such a holding site will be located at the former ITE Bishan premises. Parents were still supportive and understanding then.


This year, MOE said and insisted that Mount Sinai will become the new holding site because the former ITE Bishan premises will continue to be used by St Joseph's Institution (SJI).


Parents thus have many questions now.


1. Why did it take 10 years just to build a school in SINGAPORE? => MOE said it was a LTA-related issue. But no solution. Swept under the carpet.


2. Why did it take SJI 1.5 years just to award an upgrading project? => MOE has no answer. Swept under the carpet.


3. Why is the golf club allowed to stay till end of 2015? => Carpet is getting full.


4. 5. 6 so on and so forth....... Parents still have many questions but there were never transparent resolutions. MOE simply "advertised" their final decision that the final holding site is at Mount Sinai, no apology offered, nothing for the mistakes they made. Instead proceeding to distract the public with the convoluted belief that we, the parents are just being too protective."


The trust is gone. (Credit:Jolene Wong)


" MOE could not keep their promises made to the IP students and their parents of the 3 schools.


1) The new JC's permanent campus is along Sin Min Ave and expected to be completed by mid-2018. However, the completion date is now pushed back to end- 2019.


2) An upcoming interim campus located at the former ITE (Bishan) premises was slated to be ready by Jan 2017. However, MOE has since decided to shift the interim campus to Mount Sinai.


Parents and students are naturally upset when MOE fails to deliver on its promises. The trust is gone.


What do you think this group of pupils will learn from this episode? My fear is "keeping one`s words" no longer remains a virtue or an important trait in character building as far as their little minds are concerned."


Carefully harvested by the Czar (Site Founder)

Dated 18 July 2015



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