06 December 2018
St Joseph’s Institution has included innovation, leadership, visual arts and music through the Direct School Admission (DSA) scheme last year, in line with changes to better recognise students’ non-academic talent.
SJI has also scrapped the academic category of the DSA selection process, which previously allowed pupils with just good grades to apply to the school.
SJI offers both the O-level track and the Integrated Programme (IP), which leads to the International Baccalaureate after six years.
Its principal Adrian Danker said that SJI wants to set aside places for pupils who are talented in areas other than mere academics. Pupils applying through innovation are given tasks, and teachers will look out for traits such as creativity and the ability to work in teams, he said.