But my parents can’t be blamed for thinking this way because of the deep-rooted stigma attached to ITE. Even though DPP provides N(A) students flexibility to pursue their interests, many of my peers did not choose to pursue DPP because they feared disapproval too. They told me that their parents often referred to the initials of ITE as “It’s The End”.
Likewise, the old assumptions about the Normal stream may live on even with full subject-based banding. Under the new system, students can take subjects at three different levels: G3, G2 and G1, which are roughly mapped from Express, Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) standards.
Out of fear of being perceived as academically incapable, students may be reluctant to take subjects at a lower level or push themselves too hard to take subjects at a higher level. Consequently, they may hinder their own potential to excel in their studies.
THE GAPS BETWEEN THE ITE COMMUNITY AND EVERYONE ELSE
Despite my parents’ strong objection, I pursued DPP and enrolled in ITE College Central. At the beginning, I was not motivated to study seriously because I felt ashamed about being in ITE. I also encountered many students who felt unmotivated and disengaged. There were two factors that contributed to this.
First, students who weren’t academically inclined did not have the same opportunities offered to students with good grades. For example, there is a minimum GPA to qualify for the ACE programme, which gives students the opportunity to develop leadership and communication skills.
Second, the stigma associated with ITE gives rise to self-limiting beliefs. How much more demoralised would students feel if they continue to struggle in an institution already disparaged as “the end”?
There is also a considerable proportion of students from ITE who come from low- or middle-income families. I realised that many of them did not have the same resources and familial stability as I did, which put them on unequal footing.