How schools help prevent dropouts

The New Paper | Fri Jun 15 2012

Ngee Ann-Adelaide Education Centre (NAAEC) plans course timetables flexibly to accommodate students' study plans.
Students may apply for leave of absence if they have to relocate for work, as long as they complete their programme within a stipulated duration permitted by the University of Adelaide, said Ms Lim Mei Mei, the centre's general manager.

She added that students may also opt to transfer to Adelaide, Australia, to complete the programme.
SMa Institute of Higher Learning offers academic programmes with flexible course structures so students can study at their preferred pace within a specified period.
"Free additional classes will also be conducted to help learners gain a clear understanding of subjects," said chief executive officer Richard Soh.
ERC Institute Marketing & Services Director Jenne Foo said: "Our programme administrators will pay more attention to students' needs in terms of administrative and enrolment processes, as well as to ensure they are coping well.
"The programme administrator makes an extra effort to be present at the classroom at least 15 minutes before the lesson starts, to chat with the students. This helps build a bond between them and the students, and allows the administrator to detect any students who show signs of dropping out, via absenteeism or attitude in class.
"ERC Institute also has a professional counselling service available to all part-time students."
Auston Institute of Management marketing manager James Sim said adult learners who face stress or issues during their studies can always turn to their course consultants or quality assurance manager for help.
Uptrend College's vice-principal, Mr John Foo, said they have a Pastoral Care Service to help students who face difficulties in their courses.
He said: "Our teachers and administrative staff are urged to be vigilant, proactive and sympathetic with students under their care.
"They have an obligation to maintain good rapport with the students and spot potential problems students may be facing."
PSB Academy students facing problems can approach their academic staff as well as the principal counsellor for help.
Students can also enrol for one module per term with approval from the partner University.
If they are too tied up with other commitments, they can apply for leave of absence, with approval from the University, to take a break from their studies.
Students in PSB Academy's Certificate and Diploma programmes have an unlimited number of attempts to re-take their failed modules, and all students have a maximum candidature period to complete their studies.
The Marketing Institute of Singapore Training Centre (MISTC) has various services for adult learners struggling to balance work, family and studies.
Mr Suresh Punjabi, MISTC's Executive Director, said: "This includes the option to join another parallel session instead of the scheduled session, or defer a module to the following semester so that they can complete the programme at their own pace."
Informatics Academy has implemented a live streaming and recording feature for its lectures, and students can access the recordings at their convenience.
The PEI's faculty heads and lecturers counsel students who face problems with their studies, and also give more attention to weaker students.
Kaplan Learning Institute's organisational learning consultancy arm provides in-depth learning needs analysis for students, and the programmes can be designed and developed to focus on identified needs.
SIM GE offers part-time programmes that cater to adult learners.
An SIM spokesman said: "The mode of delivery of our academic programmes is designed to offer as much flexibility as possible to our adult learners. Students who need additional coaching or advice can always approach our teaching faculty for help.
"We also provide counselling services for those who require support in non-academic matters."
TMIS has a full-time Student Welfare Executive whom students can approach if they face difficulties.
The PEI's staff will also monitor each student's class attendance, and take the initiative to approach students who have poor attendance for a counselling session to find out the problems they are facing, and help out as far as possible.
This enables TMIS to retain the students in the course even before they think of dropping out.
This article was first published in The New Paper.


Source:http://www.edvantage.com.sg/edvantage/news/schoolnews/1159844/How_schools_help_prevent_dropouts.html

Cancer girl's big comeback

Lim Yufan | The New Paper | Fri Jun 15 2012

It was Chinese New Year 2003, but she was in no mood for celebrations.
Miss Sabrina Wah, then 13, had just been diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer.

From that point on, battling the odds and overcoming life's obstacles - including the amputation of a leg - became part and parcel of her life.
But she took it all in her stride and, nine years on, her never-say-die spirit has triumphed.
Last month, Miss Wah, now 22, graduated from Singapore Polytechnic's (SP) Singapore Maritime Academy (SMA) with a diploma in maritime transportation management.
She had a grade point average of 3.83 and received an award from the Singapore Maritime Employers' Federation.
She was also awarded the SMA-SMTC - MaritimeONE Scholarship to pursue a degree in Maritime Business and Maritime Law at Plymouth University in the UK in September.
Recalling the dark days nine years ago, Miss Wah's mother, Madam Shirley Ding, 50, a housewife, told The New Paper: "The mood at home was quite down."
The divorcee, who had split from MissWah's father in 1994, added: "I was stunned when I got the news, but for her sake, I had to be strong."
Miss Wah, who is now a part-time administrative assistant, was devastated.
"The news came as a blow to me. I thought I was going to die," she said.
The next five years were challenging for her and her family.


Miss Wah, who lives in Woodlands with her mother, stepfather and two stepbrothers aged 11 and 12, had to stop school.
She lost count of the number of times she was in hospital for tests and operations.

Along the way, there was a heart complication that required surgery. She also lost her hair as a result of chemotherapy and wore a beanie most of the time.
"I was really afraid of going to the hospital. I often had hallucinations due to fevers which were a result of the chemotherapy," she said.
But her parents were by her side every step of the way, said Miss Wah.
"I really appreciate their support. I was never alone, my parents took turns to keep me company," she said.
Her stepfather also visited her at the hospital occasionally.
Through the treatment, Miss Wah's heart contracted an infection at the mitral valve.
In June 2003, she had to undergo an operation to install a mechanical valve in her heart.
The next month, she underwent an operation to try to save her left leg, which was the source of the disease.
Amputated
But her heart stopped again midway through the surgery and the doctors had to abandon the operation.
In September 2003, she was told that her left leg had to be amputated from the middle of her thigh.
She said: "I didn't want it and I told myself that I'd rather die. But the doctors persuaded me and eventually I accepted it."
She was fitted with a prosthetic leg two years later, in 2005.
Madam Ding said: "She was very down after the amputation."

It took Miss Wah about a year to get used to the feel of the prosthetic leg. She was on crutches until 2008.
But she became a more upbeat when she was told that she could return to school.

"The doctors told me that I could go back to school. But at first, I didn't want to because I was afraid of the stares I would get," she said.
So she stayed home for another year before her mother eventually persuaded her to resume her studies.
Madam Ding said: "She can't stay at home and do nothing. Life has to go on."
Miss Wah, who studied at CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh), said: "I didn't want to go back to a mainstream school because I would have to wear a skirt and people would see my prosthetic leg."
So she enrolled in BMC International College in 2007 to take her O levels.
She said: "As I was 'forced' by my mother into studying, I did so grudgingly. I had no ambition, no aspirations, and I just wanted to drift along."
She failed the O levels on her first attempt and left the school, but retook them the next year by studying on her own.
She scored 18 points for her L1R4 (first language and relevant four subjects) and was accepted by SP.
Said Miss Wah: "I worked harder the second time because I didn't want to take it a third time."
She said being accepted by SP gave her hope.
"I was both excited and worried about going back to a classroom again. I was worried about moving around in school. It felt weird," she said.
But she started excelling in her studies in SP and has not looked back since.
Miss Jeanette Quek, 20, who is Miss Wah's best friend and classmate, said: "Sabrina has really been an inspiration to me because she never gave in to self-pity, despite her condition.
"Others might have given up, but she just went on with life."
Miss Wah, who enjoys karaoke, hopes to work in maritime law in the future.
She said: "I'm really excited about furthering my studies overseas, but scared at the same time as I'll be going alone."
limyufan@sph.com.sg
This article was first published in The New Paper.


Source:
http://www.edvantage.com.sg/edvantage/features/people/1159684/Cancer_girl_s_big_comeback.html