By Leong Sze Hian
The Ministry of Education has clarified that out of the 22,933 foreign students who applied for local universities, the actual number admitted was 4,218 (18.4%). The Ministry explained that the 987(4.3%) figure given in Parliament only referred to foreign students who had obtained GCE ‘A’ level or polytechnic.
This clarification may still leave the following questions unanswered:-
The Straits Times reported today (20 July, 2007) that:
“For local students, places were offered to 14,781, or 51 per cent, of those who applied.”
Number of Singaporean students: 14, 781
Number of foreign students: 4, 218
Total : 18, 999
Percentage of foreign students:
[ 4,218 / 18, 999 ] X 100 = 22.2%
Isn’t 22.2% more than the 20% cap on foreigners?
– It was said in Parliament that “The three local universities will provide 14,685 places this year, a 10 percent increase from the previous year”.
So, dividing 4,218 foreigners by 14,685 total places gives a foreign students enrolment of 28.7%.
If the 4.3% figure was wrong, what is the explanation for this apparent contradiction in the data?
– What is the first-year intake percentage for Singaporeans after adjusting for Permanent Residents?
– Since NUS’s statement implies that 28% of the total undergraduate and post-graduate enrolment are foreigners, what is the total number of foreigners plus PRs relative to total enrolment?
Read Sze Hian’s earlier article : University places – numbers don’t add up
Also blogger Frankly Speaking’s article on the issue.
Picture from freefoto.com.
