I refer to the report, 'School spirit keeps Victoria diehards going' (Sept13).

With many good schools now offering the Integrated Programme (IP), the student pool for non-IP junior colleges has shrunk considerably.

With the six-year IP, Victoria Junior College (VJC) will have access to a wider pool of good students fresh from Primary 6, which will bolster its chances of becoming a premier school in Singapore.

I studied at Victoria School (VS) and VJC in the 1990s. During my time, despite the schools' obvious affiliation, a significant number of top VS students did not choose VJC.

When VS moved to its current Siglap location - within walking distance of VJC - hopes were raised about a possible merger.

However, this proposal by VJC to admit Secondary 1 students will represent a step backward in ties between the Victoria schools, as both will then be vying for the same pool of students.

Wu Guanglong

This article was first published in The Straits Times.