The Direct Polytechnic Admission (DPA) exercise was launched in July 2007 to allow final-year secondary students in Express and Normal (Academic) courses who are clearly interested in, and have the aptitude for, an applied education to apply for places in the Polytechnic of their choice.

On 18 January 2008, the Temasek Informatics & IT School (IIT) welcomed its first batch of successful DPA applicants. The six students are:

Diploma in Information Technology

Lim Yuan Jie (North Vista Secondary)

Kenneth Ham (Dunman Secondary)

Diploma in Game and Entertainment Technology

Nur Azizul Hakim B Prayitno (Unity Secondary)

Shi Zhenyang (Yuan Ching Secondary)

Diploma in Cyber and Digital Security

Xiao Yao (Ngee Ann Secondary)

Diploma in Financial Business Informatics

Ng Han Lin (Jun Yuan Secondary)

Six months into their studies here, we catch up with the students to find out how they feel about the DPA exercise and their time here at IIT so far.

How did they learn about the DPA Exercise?

The boys found out about the DPA through various channels. While a few of them learnt about it in their secondary schools when their teachers announced it to them, Han Lin heard about it from his mum, who encouraged him to apply. Azizul learnt about it from the newsletters sent to him by TP, while Zhen Yang came across information on the DPA when he was surfing the Polytechnic website. Kenneth first came to learn of it in an advertisement in the local newspapers.

What made them apply for DPA?

All of them agreed that it was their certainty in wanting a polytechnic education that prompted them to apply for DPA. As the applications would be processed before they took their ‘O’ Level exams, the boys had to be sure of the courses they were applying for.

Han Lin remarked that he “chose TP as Financial Business Informatics was his area of interest and was offered by IIT”. Zhen Yang added that he chose IIT as it offers him “the course of choice – GET”. Yuan Jie was here because he had earlier taken the Advanced Elective Module and commented that he liked the “friendly and conducive environment in TP”. As for Kenneth, his passion for IT and programming, together with TP’s reputation as “a good school” based on the experiences of his friends and relatives studying in TP, led him to apply here.

How do they feel about being DPA students?

The students felt that there are advantages in joining the DPA exercise. Unlike the other freshmen who enrol in April, the boys who came in January were able to take advantage of the additional time they had to familiarize themselves with the school, the people and the systems.

The early headstart in the Polytechnic has proven to be particularly advantageous to Kenneth and Yuan Jie. They took part in the recent 2008 Singapore Microsoft Office Academic Skills Challenge for Tertiary Level and excelled ! Yuan Jie made history when he won top spots in both the MS Word and MS Excel categories at the Tertiary level. He will be representing Singapore at the Worldwide Microsoft Office Competition in Hawaii at the end of July. Kenneth clinched the Second Runner-Up position in the MS Word category. Both of them attribute their success in part having been able to enrol in their course and begin training for the competition early.

“Another main advantage is that we were able to complete all our Cross-Disciplinary Subjects (CDS) during our first few months here and frees up time on our timetables to pursue other enriching programmes,” mentioned Xiao Yao. Azizul also added that sitting for the ‘O’ Levels was made less stressful, knowing that he already had a place waiting for him at the Polytechnic!

Will they recommend the DPA to others?

Yes! However, the boys are quick to add a cautionary note: applicants need to be sure of what they want to do, and that they would like to pursue a polytechnic education.

They have no regrets in coming here. Yuan Jie states, “I am really proud to be here. There isn’t any other place I’d rather be.” Zhen Yang exclaims that TP feels like his “second home” and “being in TP is really a joy” for Kenneth. Azizul and Xiao Yao will continue to “work hard” and make good of their headstart here, and Han Lin shares that his brother who is in secondary school now is interested in “applying for the DPA”.

We wish the students all the best in their studies and their other endeavours here ! (If you wish to find out more about the DPA check out this web page: http://www.tp.edu.sg/home/admissions/adm_exercise/dpa.htm