Poly grads can disrupt NS for varsity

[metalslug]

http://www.asiaone.com/News/Education/Story/A1Story20090604-146114.html

Sat, Jun 06, 2009
The Straits Times

Poly grads can disrupt NS for varsity

I REFER to last Friday's letter by Mr Lee Kok Meng, 'Synchronise poly students' NS entry better'.

Enlistment for full-time national service (NS) takes place every quarter. This enables the Singapore Armed Forces, the Singapore Police Force and the Singapore Civil Defence Force to maintain their operational readiness, and to accommodate the more than 20,000 pre-enlistees who complete their studies in different institutions here or abroad and are due for enlistment each year. Those who graduate from polytechnics are mostly enlisted in the quarters beginning June and September.

Polytechnic graduates who are enlisted in the September intake can be granted disruption from full-time NS on the principle of equity. This will allow them to begin their studies at the same university at the same time as those who are enlisted in the June intake. Therefore, polytechnic graduates who are enlisted in the September intake can begin their university studies, either locally or abroad, from July in the year of disruption.


Singaporean males are enlisted for two years of full-time NS. They would generally begin their university studies two academic years later than their female classmates.

Colonel Darius Lim
Director Public Affairs
Ministry of Defence

This article was first published in The Straits Times.

 

[SamuelStalin]

Erm what about jc students? Die die must enlist straightaway?

 

[metalslug]

http://www.asiaone.com/News/Education/Story/A1Story20090610-147601.html

Fri, Jun 12, 2009
The Straits Times

No 'cohort equity' for poly grad enlisted in December

I REFER to last Thursday's letter, "Poly grads can disrupt NS for varsity" by Colonel Darius Lim from the Ministry of Defence.

He says: "Those who graduate from polytechnics are mostly enlisted in the quarters beginning June and September." What happens to my son (a poly graduate) who was enlisted in December?

Apparently, the directive does not have a provision for polytechnic graduates who are enlisted in December due to various reasons like medical screening.


My son, who was unfortunate to be in this situation, applied for disruption with the rationale of "cohort equity".

However, Mindef rejected his disruption request as it seems it has never factored in the possibility of poly graduates being enlisted in December.

When probed further, Mindef came up with a cursory "It's our policy" reply. What happened to "cohort equity" as promised by Mindef?

I believe that like my son's case, there are other similar cases out there which deserve similar redress.

Jeffrey Kong

This article was first published in The Straits Times.