Flawed, an understatement.

To say that the current admission system to polytechnics is flawed is simply put, an understatement. To all graduates of the O levels and other people trying to apply to polytechnics, you will notice they place great emphasis on passing five credits to be eligible for consideration into the courses you would like to enter.

To candidates who wish to enter engineering courses, or courses which deal in scientific knowledge and other proficiencies which require both maths and science, it is understandable for such requirements. Yes, they have made passing maths and science a criteria to enter. Why, many polys have even been so kind as to lower the english grade needed to enter to D7.

Here comes the problem. What about courses like mass communication and other more language centered courses? Sorry guys. You have to pass your maths and science to even be allowed to apply. Does it make sense that subjects like maths, science, accounts and commerce have absolutely nothing to do with your future intended course, yet pose a significant threat to those who are poor in them and try to enter such courses? You might be an english prodigy who can spell almost every single word in the dictionary, but hey, polys like a certain Ngee Ann are more worried you didn't have the sufficient maths skill to count the total number of hours to your break time.

Does it make sense that engineering courses which understandly place more emphasis on subjects like maths and science have their english requirement levied, while courses like mass comm cannot do the same for irrelevant subjects like science? I'll leave you to think about that yourselves.

You see, ironically, the english language is undoubtedly the most important subject in any course you take. A weak grasp of the subject would result in you, perhaps not understanding what was being taught and might lead you to interpret information falsely. Yet the requirement is lowered to a D7 for it. The same can't be done for mass comm however in retrospect to other subjects like maths and science. Ngee Ann is much more worried that your D7 in science might cause you to lose your balance while walking around in class, because you failed physics.

So, people with a genuine interest in such courses, and even those who feel they can excel when they are put inside them. Your instinct tells you to write an appeal letter. Why? Of course it's because you didn't meet their minimum requirements.

So you write the appeal letter, put in your best effort in showing them you have good english and that your flaws in maths and science have been made up by other documents that prove you are more suited to be a communicator, more suitable for the mass comm course.

And you receive a letter telling you, "we're sorry, we symphatize. You do not meet the minimum requirements and we cannot consider you."

If I met the minimum requirements why the heck would I be submitting through an appeal
letter?

So instead of going to people who are genuinely interested in courses like mass comm, what vacancies they have are given to people who have shown they won't be late for class because they know how to count the numbers on the clock. Hooray for having a C6 for maths.

People like me, people like us with a genuine interest in such things are left to choose a different path, which will have absolutely nothing to do with our abilities.

Ironically Singapore wants to nurture creativity, and wants people with talents to stand out. A better idea would be to nurture the pathetic student allocation system.