02 August 2018
Students have excelled in the polytechnic system despite not performing very well in earlier academic exercises such as the GCE ‘O’ level examinations.
One key factor that has assisted them in doing so is our recent move to an educational system that measures academic achievement in terms of coursework and skills, as opposed to the ability to study for an exam.
Aptitude-based assessments as well as including some element of coursework or continuous assessment would demonstrate holistic achievement that goes beyond the ability to “cram-and-deliver”.
Additionally, for lifelong learning to be successful, the public service and agencies need to revamp their recruitment methods to provide a greater emphasis on aptitude, attitude and skills, and with less focus on paper qualifications.