TEN more schools will offer direct admission exercise for secondary schools this year, bringing the total to 66.

This will create 200 more places for next year's intake.

Some 1,959 students were admitted to secondary schools under the scheme this year.

The scheme was introduced in 2004, to give schools greater flexibility in selecting their students.

It also enables students to display their strengths and talents in co-curricular activities when seeking admission to secondary schools.

The Ministry of Education on Tuesday announced that it will also introduce a new online system for parents to submit their children's school preference choices.

Parents will be issued with a Personal Identification Number and preference form. They can submit their selections online between Oct 23 to 30.

Some of the new niche programme schools to participate in the admission exercise include Springfield Secondary which specialises in rock climbing, Manjusri Secondary whose strength lies in Wushu and Riverside Secondary which focuses on dance.

For more information please visit http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/admissions/dsa-sec/