The Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) is a foolproof way to help your kids get into top secondary schools. However, it is no longer a secret that the PSLE does not give a fair chance to students who excel in non-academic fields.
Fortunately, Singapore has an accommodating education system with Direct School Admission (DSA). DSA is a program created for Primary 6 and Secondary 4 students to claim a guaranteed spot in a secondary or junior college of their choice respectively. The main catch with DSA is that your kids are able to get a guaranteed spot without participating in PSLE (only if he/she received a confirmed offer).
Here are the non-academic fields that are accepted for DSA applications:
● Sports and games
● Arts (visual, literary, performing arts)
● Public speaking and debate
● Humanities and languages
● Leadership
● Uniformed groups
Accordingly, there are multiple ways for you to help your kids through the DSA. While there are countless tips on how to improve your kids’ chances of getting a confirmed offer, one thing that is very crucial when it comes to the DSA is to stay true to your kids’ interests.
The emphasis on the DSA program is to create an education system that is open to all types of students. Thus, there is no point in forcing your kids to apply to a certain school through the DSA program. Especially when you are enrolling your kids to a specialised school, make sure that he/she is truly interested in following those paths.
DSA Through Arts
Singapore is blessed with some of the best art institutions in Asia, if not the world. For any student who is particularly interested in arts, the end goal is to get into the top art institutions such as Lasalle College of the Arts. Yes, it is quite far ahead for a primary student, but you can start helping your kids by preparing them for some of the best art DSA in Singapore.
Art is one of the most popular fields for DSA applicants all over the country. Thus, the competition may be rather fierce. After years of analysing art DSA applicants, it is true that skill is an important aspect that your kids should have, but it really is not the only crucial aspect.
Art education is a lot different from the general education system. Of course, enrolling your kids in art classes will definitely help them improve their skills, but what they really need is to adapt themselves with how to thrive in an environment full of art. What does it mean? It means learning effectively, collaborating with fellow students, accepting and working off feedback, and more.
Those are the skills that will help your kids excel in art education. Putting your kids in those environments (art classes for kids) from a young age will not only help increase your kid’s art skills, but also increase their chance of getting accepted to an Art DSA of their choice.