Starting from 2009, all Junior Colleges (JC) and the Millennia Institute (MI) will start the school term for Year 1 students with a single intake in end January/early February.

According to a media release from the Ministry of Education, the single intake obviates the need for the two admission exercises (see below) and will also reduce the waiting time for some 'O' level graduates, who might otherwise need to wait for three months before entering JCs/MI.

To make the single-intake possible, the following changes will take place from 2009:

• The 'O' level results, which are currently released in late January, will be released in early January

• The posting results from the Joint Admissions Exercise, currently released in mid-February, will be released in end January.

Current admissions procedure

Currently, there are two JC/MI intakes: one in January that is based on school preliminary examination results, and another in March based on 'O' level results.

The two intake situation gives rise to 'churning' of students in JCs and MI in March, as quite a number of JC students chooses to switch courses or colleges after receiving the 'O' level results.

The students in the second intake, who have not attended the pre-university course in the first 3 months, might also have difficulties in catching up with the 'A' level curriculum.

In addition, some students who failed to meet the criteria to enter the JC/MI after the release of 'O' level results, faced disappointment when they have to leave after 3 months.