primeí news THE STRAITS TI BY LEOW SI WAN ANOTHER avenue to further their stud- ies without compr omising on sporting pursuits. This is what Secondar y 1 students starti ng next year at the Singapore Sports School (SSP) can look forward to. From 2010, academically inclined stu- dents will be able to take advantage of a six-year International Baccalaureate Di- ploma Programme (IBDP), which will en- ables them to bypass the O-level exami- nation. Addressing reporters at the school yes- terday, SSP’s principal Deborah Tan said a through-train programme will benefit young athletes who wish to attain higher qualifications. Rather than leaving SSP to enter a jun- ior college to sit for their A-level exami- nations – a move that could potentially disrupt training and sporting potential – top students can now stay on in the school and “pursue sporting and academ- ic excellence concurrently”. SSP students graduating at the end of four years now have three options: at- tend a junior college, or stay on in the school to study in through-train pro- grammes with Republic Polytechnic and the School of Health Sciences at the Auckland University of Technology. Mrs Tan added that a handful of stu- dents leave the school to study at other institutions. Explaining why the school opted for the IBDP, she said the choice was made after conducting a thorough study of the most widely used university qualifica - tion examinations here, including A lev- els. The IB programme, unlike the A lev- els, offered two sittings – one in May and another in November. She said this offers flexibility for ath- letes who have to take part in major sports meets at certain times of the year. The programme is also internationally recognised, she added. Minister for Communi ty Develop- ment, Youth and Spor ts Vi vian Balakrishnan said that with this full suite of services, the SSP will probably be the best sports school in the region and that it will benchmark itself to sports schools at an international level. Dr Balakrishnan was at the school yes- terday, participating in its Youth Olym- pic Games Countdown Run. He added: “For too long, athletes in Singapore have been forced to choose – either you just focus on your work or you focus on your sporting career.. .I don’t want to make our athletes face such com- promises in the future. “This is about flexibili ty...providi ng options and allowing the child to mature and develop his or her talent in his own time.” Indeed, some former students and cur- rent SSP students, who are not eligible for the IBDP, expressed their disappoint- ment. Said Gail Chia, a SSP alumnus who is now studying at Raffles Junior College: “When I fir st heard about the pro- gramme, I was like ‘I missed it! Why are they only offering it now?’ “But on fur ther thought, I am not very sure if I would have chosen to stay on in the sports school even with the IB programme because coping with sports and studies is not easy.” The 18-year-old jumper, who broke national jumping records at the National Junior Championships in 2005, said that her training had to take a back seat be- cause of her studies. For SSP student Shahrir Mohd Anuar, 16, not being able to study in the IB pro- gramme is a wasted opportunity. The Sec 4 student, who is the school’s top sprinter, added that bypassing the O leve ls would help in a young athlete ’s progression into a national sportsman. More teachers will be employed for the new diploma programme, although exact numbers have not been decided. The school is looking at a minimum class size of 20 for its first batch. To parents such as Mr Yee Kah Chee, 47, the IB diploma option is another plus point for the school. The engineer is considering enrolling his 12-year-old son, who plays table ten- nis, in the school. He said: “It is excellent – the six-year programme i s simi l ar to the through-train offered by notable schools so now there are more options availa- ble.” [email protected] Sports School offers IB to retain top students Dr Balakrishnan (fifth from left) taking part in the YOG Countdown Run, which involved 365 students running 365 laps around the school’s 400m track over 365 minutes. The run started at 5.55pm yesterday and was expected to finish at midnight, in time to start the 365-day YOG Countdown. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO Through-train will allow them to pursue sports as well as studies