ITE gave actress Jayley Woo a fresh start in life

Actress Jayley Woo moped around for days when she failed her Mathematics and Science O level subjects at Tanglin Secondary School and had to go to ITE.

The 24-year-old said: "I cried and was very, very sad when I got my O-level results. I saw my classmates going to polytechnics and junior colleges, and I had to go to ITE even though I was from the Express stream. Back then, I really felt that ITE was the end."

But Woo soon realised that she was wrong, after studying Business Adminstration at ITE Clementi.

"It's a useful course and I felt it was a good choice as I could apply it to many things in real life," she said.

Woo also revealed that she was bullied a lot during secondary school. As the class representative, she said her classmates hated her whenever she told on them to the teachers.

She said: "All I wanted to do every day was to hide in one corner in school."

In ITE, however, Woo made new friends, which saw her opening up and becoming more sociable. She said: "I got a good fresh start in ITE, it was a brand new life for me."

She then went on to get a diploma in Mass Communications from MDIS.

She joined The New Paper New Face in 2011 - she was among the top 20 finalists - and was scouted by MediaCorp the following year.

At the sharing session yesterday at ITE College East, Woo got emotional when recalling her school days and burst into tears, saying: "All the teachers in my ITE really changed my life. I am so grateful and thankful to be here sharing my experience with you."

She added: "Many people say ITE is the end. I see it as a beginning instead."

jocelee@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on September 1, 2015.
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