frequently asked questions and answers
on best AND WISE PROGRAMMES
General
1.
What is the rationale for
replacing BEST/WISE with Singapore
Employability Skills System (ESS) Workplace Literacy & Numeracy (WPLN)
Programmes?
The BEST programme was started way back in
1983 to equip adult workers with literacy and numeracy skills up to Primary
School Leaving Examination (PSLE) standard while the WISE programme was
launched in 1987 to help workers upgrade to the equivalent of “N” level and
upon graduation, to further their training at the Institute of Technical
Education.
Although their curricula had been revised a few times, they are more
generic in nature.
The ESS is an industry-endorsed and
employer-validated system and all ESS programmes, including ESS-WPLN programmes,
are more current and relevant to actual workplace requirements and
practices. This makes learning easier
and more work-relevant for adult workers.
Being a new programme, employers and participants can also be assured
that the curricula are current and updated.
Given this, it makes sense for Government to
promote newer and better programmes.
2.
When will the BEST/WISE
programmes be phased out?
They will officially be phased out by
2009. But ITE will have its last intake
for Module 1 of BEST and WISE programmes in Jan 07 and Mar 07
respectively. ITE will continue to run
classes for BEST and WISE Modules 2, 3 and 4 based on demand between now and
2009 to allow existing participants who are in the process of completing Module
1 or have already completed Module 1 to finish their programme and obtain all
the 4 BEST or WISE certificates within 2 years from the commencement of Module
1.
3.
How will existing participants
be affected by the phase-out?
Existing participants will not be
affected. ITE will continue to run
classes for BEST/WISE Modules 2, 3 and 4 based on demand between now and 2009
to allow participants who are in the process of completing Module 1 or have
already completed Module 1 to finish their programme and obtain all the 4 BEST
or WISE certificates within 2 years from the date of commencement of Module
1. During this 2-year grace period,
Government will continue to subsidise the training and participants will
continue to pay fees at the current rates.
4.
What will happen if
participants are unable to finish the programme before this deadline?
Anyone who is unable to finish the programme
by the end of the 2 years’ grace period can switch over to the ESS-WPLN
system. What they will need to do is to
take an appraisal at the Centre for Employability Skills (CES) which will
determine his current level of competency and recommend an appropriate training
module under the ESS system. He will
receive ESS-WPLN certificates certifying his current competency level for his
reading, listening and numeracy skills upon completion of the appraisal.
5.
Will BEST/WISE participants
receive credits for entry into ESS-WPLN courses?
Participants who intend to switch to ESS-WPLN
training midway through BEST/WISE courses can do so at any time but they need
to sit for an appraisal at the Centre for Employability Skills (CES) to
determine their current literacy level.
They can then progress along the ESS-WPLN system.
6.
Will BEST/WISE certifications
still be recognised by employers for job applications or by ITE for entry into Nitec
courses?
Yes, BEST/WISE certifications will continue
to be recognised by employers or by ITE for entry into Nitec courses.
7.
Is it compulsory for a
participant to take the Computer Adaptive Test (CAT), even if he already holds
a BEST or WISE certificate?
Yes. It is
compulsory for a person to take the CAT so that an accurate assessment
of his abilities can be made to ensure that he is placed at the right entry
level for the ESS-WPLN course.
8.
Are ESS-WPLN certificates
considered equivalent to BEST/WISE certificates?
No, it is not appropriate to equate ESS-WPLN
certificates with BEST/WISE certificates as the two systems are very different
in curriculum design, method of assessment and benchmarks. For instance, while the BEST and WISE
certificates are equivalent to PSLE and ‘N’ level certificates, Level 8,
the highest proficiency level in the ESS-WPLN course, cover competencies beyond
‘O’ level English standard. Nonetheless, based on the results of 400 ITE
students (mostly N level) who sat for the CAT, we note that there is some
correlation between the academic qualification and the WPLN competency level of
these students. The findings show that
there is a tendency for participants who have N level qualifications to score
Level 5 – High Intermediate level in both literacy and numeracy.
Importantly, ITE has also accepted ESS-WPLN credentials
as alternative entry criteria for some of its Nitec courses which hitherto
require N level or WISE Level 4 qualification for enrolment.
9.
What are the differences in
course fees between the BEST/WISE programmes and ESS-WPLN programmes?
Both the BEST/WISE programmes and ESS-WPLN
programmes are national programmes targeted at raising the literacy and
numeracy levels of workers who have missed out on formal education so that they
can take on higher value-added jobs. In
this spirit, the Government is committed to keeping the fees for ESS-WPLN
training low. The ESS-WPLN programmes will cost a little more but they will
remain affordable. The current course
fees for BEST/WISE programmes range from $10 - $30 per module for Singapore
Citizens and PRs. The course fees for
ESS-WPLN programmes are in the same region, i.e. $20 - $50 per module, for Singapore
Citizens and Permanent Residents.
10.
Who are the training providers
of BEST/WISE programmes between now and the phase-out date?
ITE will continue to deliver BEST and WISE
training until they are phased out. NTUC
LearningHub is currently reviewing its decision to offer BEST classes. Interested parties may wish to contact NTUC
LearningHub directly for more details.
11.
Which are the training
providers for ESS-WPLN programmes?
There are currently 5 accredited ESS-WPLN
providers. NTUC LearningHub and British
Council have started running classes.
The remaining 3, SSA Consulting, Training Vision and FTC Kaplan will
start classes as soon as demand picks up.
12.
Can anyone sign up for ESS-WPLN
training?
Yes, the ESS-WPLN training will be made
available to both employer-sponsored and self-sponsored participants if they
are assessed as needing training after sitting for the appraisal at ESS. Employer-sponsored participants can apply via
their employers to the 5 accredited ESS-WPLN training providers, whereas
self-sponsored participants can apply directly to the providers participating
in the public walk-in scheme.
List of training
providers participating in the public walk-in scheme
13.
Will ESS-WPLN qualifications be
recognised by ITE for entry into its Nitec courses?
Yes, ESS WPLN qualifications will be accepted
for certain full-time and part-time Nitec courses.
14.
How do I find out more about
ESS?