 the integrated programme (ip) is a scheme that allows high-performing students in secondary schools in singapore to skip the gce ordinary level (o-level) examination (typically taken by students at the end of their fourth or fifth year in secondary school) and proceed to sit for the gce advanced level (a-level) examination, international baccalaureate (ib), or an equivalent examination, after six years of secondary education. the a-level examination is typically taken by students at the end of their second or third year in junior college. ==overview== the programme allows for more time allocated to enrichment activities. that is, without the o-level examinations, the students have more time and flexibility to immerse themselves in a more broad-based education which will eventually lead to the a-level examination. in addition, the students enjoy more freedom in the combination of subjects. generally, only the top performers are eligible to be part of the ip programme, do use to implement it, as it is currently regarded as experimental. thus most of the main body of the students pursue their secondary education at the current pace by first completing a four-year o-level course before proceeding to a two-year a-level education. == a-level programmes == the integrated programme was first implemented in hwa chong institution (formerly the chinese high school), nanyang girls' high school, raffles girls school and raffles institution in 2004. the ip allows students to skip the o-level at secondary four and be admitted directly to junior colleges. all the schools allowed in the scheme accepts the top 10% of the national cohort. this ensures that students who are under the ip are able to cope with their a-level after bypassing their o-level. some junior colleges including national junior college, temasek junior college and victoria junior college, offer it independently. for the four-year ip, secondary two students from various schools are allowed to apply for this programme. these students have their secondary three and four education in the junior college itself, followed by the a-level course. since 2009, national junior college has also accepted students who have taken the primary school leaving examination (psle), making it a six-year program. dunman high school applied for the ip system in mid-2004 standalone, and the ministry of education approved the first batch to be enrolled in 2005, with year 1 and year 3 students, each having a cap of about 135 out of 380 students. full ip was granted in late 2005, and the school went full ip at the beginning of 2006. river valley high school
Education_in_Singapore