Direct School Admission (DSA) Scheme

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Education (a) how has the Direct School Admission (DSA) scheme added value to students in terms of their sporting capability; (b) over the past three years, how many DSA students continued to pursue their sports at a professional or full-time basis after graduation; (c) what is the lowest PSLE score that will enable students to enter Raffles Institution (RI) or Raffles Girls' School (RGS) by DSA; and (d) over the past five years, how have DSA students in RI and RGS performed academically.

The Direct School Admission (DSA) scheme was introduced in 2004 to promote holistic education by recognising a more diverse range of student achievements and talents as criteria for school admissions, other than academic performance at the national examinations. Schools which admit DSA students based on their sporting talents offer programmes to further develop their strengths in these areas.

MOE does not track whether these students continue to pursue their sports on a professional or full-time basis after graduation. However, between 2010 and 2012, about 250 of current or former DSA students represented Singapore at the national level in their respective sports.

The DSA student must achieve a PSLE result that allows him to be admitted into a course (for example, Express course) offered by the DSA school. As such, the lowest PSLE score that a student being admitted to RI or RGS must achieve is 188.

Of the first two batches of DSA students in RI and RGS, more than 90% had completed their "A" levels and were eligible for degree courses in our Autonomous Universities (AUs).

Overall, DSA has broadened the definition of success and promoted holistic education by reducing the emphasis on national examination results. As with all of our policies, we will continue to regularly review and improve the DSA scheme.

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