MOE announces members of committee reviewing polytechnic and ITE education

The Applied Study in Polytechnics and ITE Review, or Aspire for short, will be led by a steering committee and supported by three review committees and an engagement committee. Altogether, there are a total of 35 members, and the committee is led by Senior Minister of State for Law and Education Indranee Rajah. The members include the principals of all five local polytechnics, and chief executive officer of ITE Bruce Poh.

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Here is the full statement from the Ministry of Education (MOE):

The Ministry of Education (MOE) today announced the appointment of the committee for the Applied Study in Polytechnics and ITE Review (ASPIRE).

The ASPIRE Committee, chaired by Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Law and Ministry of Education, Ms Indranee Rajah, will look at enhancing career and academic progression prospects for Polytechnic and ITE graduates through the strengthening of industry linkages to provide work-relevant training for students, enhanced educational and career guidance, and pursuit of industrial research, innovation and enterprise activities that support the Polytechnics and ITE's academic mission.

Enhancing polytechnic and ITE education

Together with the universities, our polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) form the many peaks of our education system and support Singapore's economic development.

Our polytechnics and the ITE system have done well by focusing on the acquisition and application of skills, through hands-on, practice-oriented learning.

As our economic environment becomes more dynamic, varied and complex, the demand for workplace skills and competencies will evolve.

To prepare and empower polytechnic and ITE graduates to seize the opportunities and thrive in the economy of the future, MOE has convened a committee of prominent stakeholders in industry, community, public service and academia to review and recommend enhancements to the applied education model at the polytechnics and ITE.

This will build on the current strengths of the polytechnic and ITE system.

SMS Indranee said: "Our polytechnics and ITE offer quality practice-oriented education. They are part of a diverse higher educational landscape with many pathways catering to individuals with different strengths and interests, so that each individual can be developed to his or her full potential.

"This is an important review because each individual matters, and we must ensure that our approach to technical education can help ensure that polytechnic and ITE students will continue to be well equipped for work and life even as the operating environment evolves.

"We also want to avoid mismatch between industry needs and student qualifications, skills and capabilities. As part of this review, we will be actively engaging key stakeholders, including students, parents, educators and staff in our polytechnics, ITE and schools, and employers."

Structure and composition of the ASPIRE Committee

The ASPIRE will be led by a Steering Committee supported by three Review Committees and an Engagement Committee.

The ASPIRE Committee is expected to complete its work in the second half of 2014. Its activities will include meetings, study trips to relevant institutions and industries in Singapore and abroad, as well as engagement sessions with the various stakeholder groups.