TEN more schools will participate in the direct admission exercise this year bringing the total to 66.

This will create 200 more places for the 2009 cohort of Secondary 1 students applying for direct admission. Some 1,959 students were admitted under the plan this year.

The Direct School Admission (DSA) scheme, introduced in 2004, allows students to highlight their co-curricular talents when seeking admission to secondary schools that specialise in areas such as rock climbing, dance and robotics.

It also gives schools greater flexibility in selecting students as their academic and non-academic performance can be taken into consideration.

In addition to National Junior College's Integrated Programme (IP) School, nine niche schools have been approved by the Ministry of Education (MOE) to take part in this year's exercise.

They include secondary schools such as Bowen, Manjusri and Riverside. Niche schools specialise in areas such as sports, arts and technology. They can take up to 5 per cent of their Secondary 1 students through direct admission.

The schools receive up to $100,000 a year from the MOE to pay for external instructors and material.

Springfield Secondary, whose niche is in rockclimbing, has 15 to 20 places available for DSA students.

Its vice-principal, Mr Edward Nathan, said direct admission provides a win-win situation for both the school and student.

'We want to make sure that the time and effort that we are spending on the rock climbing programme benefits a student who is able to make the best use of the opportunity.'

Interested students have to undergo a physical fitness test and successful candidates will be trained by professionals.

The ministry will also introduce a new online system for parents to submit their children's school preference choices.

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