I would like to thank Dr Wang and Dr Tan for their interest in Technical Education.

Their interest is well-placed because our technical institutions have been tasked to provide technical training for secondary school leavers, so as to meet the economy’s demand for technicians and skilled manpower. The concern about ITE’s image is understandable given that the number of students entering ITE constitutes a significant 25% of each cohort.

Dr Wang believes that ITE education will add value to one’s life and ITE graduates can excel at the workplace if they are determined to do so. I fully agree with him and I will substantiate this point.

Since the establishment of ITE in 1992, concerted efforts have been made to improve the public perception and image of ITE. There are many parties to thank for. Firstly, the Government has invested, on average, $170 million a year over the past 5 years in ITE to expand campuses and build modern facilities. ITE students now study in a conducive environment and have access to the latest high-tech equipment and information technology.

Secondly, the quality of teaching has improved. The care and concern shown by ITE teachers have helped boost students’ self-esteem, confidence and motivation.

Thirdly, the media has been most supportive of ITE. In 1999 alone, there were 284 favourable mentions in media coverage in the form of press reports, TV exposures and radio broadcasts. This is a 21% increase over 1998.

As more and more ITE graduates make headlines with their successes, ITE has found it useful to consolidate these stories as a reference and encouragement to staff, students and parents. I have given to Members of the House here copy of an annual publication by ITE titled "I did it my way ". The title is reminiscent of the well-known song by Frank Sinatra, but it has a ring of confidence and a certain pride in it. The current publication features 23 ITE alumni who are now successful professionals or entrepreneurs and also those who have excelled in the pursuit of further studies in polytechnics and universities. It gives an account of how ITE has given students a headstart to a worthwhile career by providing a technical education and how teachers, through their enthusiasm in teaching and faith in these students, have inspired learning sometimes against seeming odds.

Today, ITE is a reputed post-secondary educational institution with a network of 10 modern and well-equipped institutions, offering a wide range of engineering, technical, business studies and service courses. ITE students are proud to be in such a vibrant learning environment.

The premium placed by employers on ITE education did not come about just by better packaging and selling. The latest employment survey conducted by ITE showed that the mean monthly gross salary of ITE graduates had increased from $1,321 in 1997 to $1,469 in 1998. This is despite the economy downturn. The employment survey also reflected a strong industry demand for ITE graduates - 92% of 1998’s graduates were employed and 87% of them obtained their jobs within three months from graduation. In short, there is real substance in an ITE graduate.

Sir, we all know that ITE students are practice-oriented and are quick at assimilating hands-on training. There is nothing wrong in being practice-oriented especially when you are good at it. But there are also many who are academically inclined - they may develop this trait a bit later than others. About 15% of ITE students move on to polytechnics and 2% go on to complete their university education. The statistics also suggest that ITE graduates who go on to polytechnics are likely to do well there. Generally, they achieve a higher pass rate than other non-ITE graduates and in most instances, the pass rate was 100%. Also, a higher percentage of them achieve Diplomas with Merit, as compared to non-ITE graduates.

Dr Tan has asked whether ITE education prepares the young for a KBE. I would like to stress that ITE has always made it a point to stay relevant to the needs and development of the economy by regularly reviewing its curriculum and programmes. Employability skills such as communication skills, mathematics, IT, industrial studies and social studies are taught to ensure that students will be able to cope with demands beyond their areas of specialisation. ITE has also introduced 4 courses during the last two years in response to the growth in IT and chemical process industries.

However, we must recognise that with the rapid pace of technological developments, knowledge and skills will become obsolete very quickly. The only way to ensure skills relevance is through training and re-training. In this regard, ITE will gear up in terms of training capacity and programmes so that more ITE graduates and the workforce in general can upgrade and renew their skills to remain employable.

Sir, ITE’s intake comprises mainly 3 levels of students from secondary schools – N(T), N(A) as well as ‘O’. Dr Tan has specifically asked about the performance of N(T) students.

If Members recall, the N(T) course was introduced in 1994 to allow the more practice-oriented students to go through 10 years of general education, before undergoing technical training. To ensure that these students can learn at a comfortable pace, they were given a different curriculum which focussed on the teaching of English Language and Mathematics and a practical, hands-on approach in learning, so as to prepare them for a technical education at ITE.

We have made significant progress in achieving these objectives. Since the introduction of the N(T) course, an additional 10% of the Primary 1 cohort has completed 10 years of education. The first 3 cohorts of N(T) students have completed their secondary education.

This has provided them with the necessary foundation in language and mathematics for a technical education in ITE. Three quarters or more of the N(T) pool of students are enrolled in ITE each year. ITE will continue to encourage even more to enrol.

I am pleased to report that our N(T) students have done well in their ITE training. Of the 4033 N(T) students who have enrolled for full-time ITE training in January 1998, 2204 have graduated with NTC-2 qualifications and 1013 with Certificates in Office Skills, making a success rate of 80%. The percentage of N(T) students who have been awarded Certificates of Merit is also comparable to that for the N(A) students who enrolled in ITE.

Sir, I have said enough about the benefits of ITE education. How can we spread this message even further. I believe our school teachers can help to encourage more students to further their education at ITE with their counselling on career development.

ITE’s next target would be the teachers who can help to make things happen. ITE is planning to introduce an Immersion Programme to strengthen the information network and rapport between ITE and schools. The programme will serve as a platform for secondary school teachers to experience first-hand the improved teaching environment in ITE, find out about the different courses and modes of training available, talk to ITE students and obtain feedback on the progress of their ex-students and their strengths and learning difficulties.

The programme will include in-house briefings, workshops and sharing sessions, as well as tours of companies which offer apprenticeship training to ITE students. The apprenticeship training scheme allows students to work to earn some income as they continue their education at ITE. The tours will help teachers to gain a better understanding of the career prospects of ITE students.

Sir, ITE has really come a long way. We are encouraged by ITE’s achievements and the positive change in public perception. We hope Members of this House and the public can continue to support ITE in creating a fruitful educational experience for our students.