What if my child picks the wrong secondary school?

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I am finding it hard to help my son choose a secondary school, as he keeps changing his mind about the type of school he wants to go to. For a while, he kept going on about an Integrated Programme (IP) school. Now, he says the O-level route may be better because he may want to go on to a polytechnic. We talked about CCAs and, again, he keeps jumping from one club to another and one sport to another. I am worried that he will pick the wrong school, and will be stuck in a pathway that doesn’t suit him and limits his post-secondary and university options.

Last week, ST Smart Parenting did a story on St Joseph’s Institution (SJI), an independent school which offers the IP where students enrol in a seamless six-year track to a pre-university qualification without sitting the national examinations at Secondary 4.

What struck me was the advice from SJI principal Justin Pierre, who said parents should look for an environment where their child can become the best version of himself or herself.

He urged parents considering an IP school not to see the IP simply as the “more desirable” route.

Parents should bear in mind that children change considerably between the ages of 12 and 16. For instance, their interests mature, their strengths emerge and their aspirations can change, he said.

“Parents should therefore consider not only what their child is capable of academically today, but also the environment in which he or she is most likely to grow in confidence, independence and character,” he advised.

I hope parents heed his words when choosing a secondary school for their children.

Indeed, the ages from 12 to 16 represent a critical window when teens transition from childhood dependence to adult autonomy. They are likely to test out different identities, social groups and hobbies to figure out their likes and dislikes, as well as interests and aptitude.

Experts advise that where possible, parents should support this growth by encouraging them to explore and try out different things. While it can be frustrating and expensive for parents when a child abandons a hobby after a few weeks, none of that time is wasted.

A child who does a month of theatre gains public speaking confidence. Taking even a few classes on coding builds logic. A month of a new sport builds physical coordination and strength.

You are worried about your son being stuck in a school or pathway. In fact, over the years, secondary education has seen quite a few changes that allow more choices and flexibility for students to move from one track to another.

SJI, for example, despite being a popular choice among students considering the IP route, also offers the four-year programme which culminates in the Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate. This is the new national exam that starts in 2027 and replaces the O-level exams.

So, as in the other IP schools, students who start in the six-year programme can switch to the four-year track, if they decide that it suits their further education aspirations better, such as heading to a specific diploma programme in the polytechnic instead.

Similarly, a student who starts on the O-level track may decide that he may benefit more from the IP programme and ask to switch.

In fact, based on Ministry of Education (MOE) figures, about 6% to 7% of the IP cohorts that graduated in 2022, 2023 and 2024 left before the six years were up. This translates to about 240 students in a cohort of 4,000.

MOE said about half transfer to the O-level route or join a polytechnic. Some move to other junior colleges, which, according to two students interviewed, suit them better and are less pressurising.

Others interviewed headed overseas or enrolled in international or private schools to take up degree or foundation programmes that will enable them to transfer to degree studies at British or Australian universities.

Some parents worry about the subject combinations that students can take up if they enrol in a non-IP school that offers subject-based banding.

While a student’s PSLE scores determine his or her initial posting group (PG1, PG2, or PG3) and subject levels at the start of Secondary 1, these placements are not permanent.

If your son starts Sec 1 taking a subject at G2 but demonstrates strong academic capability, he can move up to G3 in subsequent terms or years. Conversely, if a student is struggling to keep up at a G3 level, he or she has the flexibility to step down to G2.

Some parents worry that choosing certain secondary school pathways may limit their child’s post-secondary options – mainly having access to the JC and polytechnic routes and even transferring between the two pathways.

Again, quite a few students switch from the JC to polytechnic route and vice versa every year.

Some students even apply to pursue a polytechnic diploma after completing their A levels. They do so after discovering they have a talent or keen interest for a particular subject, which the polytechnic offers a course in.

And a few years ago, MOE made changes to offer a shorter pathway for A-level holders who want to take up a polytechnic diploma.

Thanks to MOE’s more flexible pathways, a student’s future is no longer defined by a single track.

Early, low-stakes exploration allows children to try different subjects and co-curricular activities. This hands-on experience builds the self-awareness they need to map out their strengths and weaknesses as they advance through the education system.

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